Review: Cartel – Cycles

AbsolutePunk Oct 21, 2009

After suffering a disaster of Titanic-like proportions (the actual boat, not the movie), Cartel are hoping to recover from the self-titled backlash with Cycles, an album that proves Chroma was the initial jump, Cartel was the (imperfect) landing and Cycles is the massive bounce back. Full of shimmering pop numbers built on shiny-riffs and colossal production, Cycles is a dubious return to the power-pop that launched the band into the stratosphere. “Let’s Go” shakes off all previous binds and lets the band rock their socks off before ensuring that the slump is now indeed over. While there isn’t anything as riveting or as bombastic as the “Q/A” combo, Cartel prove that keeping it simple is just as wildly spirited as anything else they have achieved.

AbsolutePunk Oct 18, 2009

Ahem.

“So sick, so sick of being tired/And oh so tired of being sick/We’re both such magnificent liars/So crush me baby, I’m all ears.”

These are the words that open Tell All Your Friends, the debut full-length album by the Long Island band Taking Back Sunday. Although the band had been together for some three years by the time of the album’s 2002 release, they had undergone numerous lineup changes—including a new lead singer—and had just recently solidified their sound, with Adam Lazzara mainly at the helm vocal-wise, with support from guitarist and founding member John Nolan. The two also shared songwriting and lyric writing duties on the album.

Tell All Your Friends grabs the listener’s attention from the start. The album begins with feedback before Nolan’s ringing guitar riff and Mark O’Connell’s fast-paced, sliding drum line jolt “You Know How I Do” into action. And then, less than fifteen seconds into the song, Lazzara begins singing the lines given at the beginning of this review. “So sick, so sick of being tired…” However, the listener isn’t just hearing vocals Lazzara recorded for some song because it sounds good. When you listen to the songs on Tell All Your Friends, it really is so much more than entertainment. At the risk of sounding cliché, you feel what Lazzara (or Nolan) is feeling.

AbsolutePunk Oct 16, 2009

When Mayday Parade’s self-released EP (which would later be picked up by Fearless) dropped in 2006, it seemed even then that bigger things lay ahead for the band. Besides the Fever You Can’t Sweat Out-flavored “When I Get Home You’re So Dead,” which would get a bit of a makeover for their full-length bow A Lesson in Romantics, the songs weren’t quite there yet, and a few tended to drag on a bit (“Three Cheers for Five Years” approached the six-minute mark), but they had that sound, just the right blend of pop sensibility and rock crunch, that suggested inevitable future success.

It hasn’t exactly been a meteoric rise, but with sales of Romantics surpassing 130,000 units, Mayday Parade earned a major label billing for its follow-up Anywhere but Here, as well as a pairing with hitmaking producer David Bendeth. The resulting album retains a little of the sunny pop-punk of their previous releases– album opener “Kids in Love,” which is very much in an All-American Rejects vein, is a good example– but mostly goes in a darker pop-rock direction, reminiscent of Sugarcult’s Palm Trees and Power Lines. It’s generally likable and probably has a better shot at catching on with rock audiences without losing the pop element, though established fans might be a little disappointed that there’s nothing as immediately snappy as “When I Get Home You’re So Dead” or “Jamie All Over.”

AbsolutePunk Oct 4, 2009

Brand New never sent you a lyric booklet for their 2006 release, The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me, and that probably pisses you off.

Brand New doesn’t write “hooky” songs like “Jude Law and a Semester Abroad” or “The Quiet Things No One Ever Knows” anymore, and that probably pisses you off.

Brand New doesn’t like to talk to American press very often, if at all, and that probably pisses you off.

Brand New gave their new songs short, vague titles instead of quirky, long-winded titles, and that probably pisses you off.

Brand New named their new album Daisy, and that probably pisses you off.

Brand New decided to place a fox in a forest on the cover, and that probably pisses you off.

Brand New doesn’t care.

AbsolutePunk Sep 30, 2009

When it comes to AFI’s legacy, there are two sides to the story: there is the independent, hardcore punk outfit that shook stages of local circuits for several years in the 1990’s, and there is the considerably more popular band that signed to a major-label in 2002. The debate continues to rage on as to which version of the band is “better,” but the fact of the matter is AFI has never been the same one-trick pony some punk bands can often remain. By the time the new millennium rolled around, The Art of Drowning was goth-punk perfection and shot AFI’s name into the stratosphere. They were no longer the wildly spastic hardcore band that answered things and stayed fashionable — they were now full-blown rock stars (oh snap, someone call the DIY police, because they be breaking all kinds of punk rock “laws”).

AbsolutePunk Sep 22, 2009

Every new year, resolutions are far easier to purposely ignore than to follow through with. For instance, being fiscally conservative when you just gotta have their cool new rollerblades (here I come, Venice Boardwalk!), or cutting down on fast food (but they’re two tacos for 99 cents, you bastard!). The new year brings out new opportunities, a fresh start and more importantly, an end to everything that came before it (The Happeningnever happened).

Hailing from Flint, Michigan, The Swellers are four average dudes who come from an environment in which upbringing is reflected in your attitude and getting out of dodge isn’t as easy as it seems when high school finally ends. The working-class town was one of the focal points in the documentary film ~~Bowling For ColumbineFlashdance~~ Roger and Me and for the Swellers’ sophomore full-length (and Fueled by Ramen debut), Ups and Downsizing, is a coming-of-age record about everything going on in their own lives — and seeing it all from the sidelines as well.

AbsolutePunk Sep 2, 2009

It is not a well-kept secret that I was a bit enamored with Saosin’s debut LP. The timing of that record and the execution of it seemed damn near perfect at the time. The stars just kind of aligned for that release, and Saosin has been riding the wave ever since. And going back to listen to that self-titled gem now, I still stand by everything I said – the combination of soaring vocals, upper echelon musicianship, and flawless production made for a work deserving of its transcendence beyond the post-hardcore roots that spawned it. So here we are, three years later – has the band used its accomplishments and notoriety as a launchpad to create another killer record? Or is their sophomore effort a perfunctory exercise in simply going through the motions?

AbsolutePunk Sep 2, 2009

The Absolute 100 is an annual collection of our favorite lesser-known bands. Our point with this feature (as it was in 2007 and 2008) is that there’s still hope. The future of music can be bright, you just gotta find the right blurbs to screw in. Some of the bands on this list are signed and some are already on their way to selling out tours. Some are barely even on their parents’ radars. Throw cred out the window; we don’t care if you’ve heard any of these acts before. We want EVERYONE in on these secrets.

We are an unique crew of diligent AP.net workers – not all our playlists are carbon copies. Our goal, as it always has been, is to deliver a constant stream of information about music that motivates and inspires. Consider this a promise: there is at least one band on this list that you will enjoy. And if you don’t, then let’s hope it’s because you already love one of them enough. – Julia Conny

AbsolutePunk Aug 12, 2009

As children, we are all prone to believing just about anything we see, particularly when a figure we idolize bears superhuman strength or the uncanny ability to shoot a basketball from space, hit it off the Statue of Liberty, off the St. Louis Arch, around the rim of the Grand Canyon and still get nothin’ but net. You see, when those we place on pedestals falter, it stings us on a personal level and recovery is crucial in order to restore our lost faith. So, if the case is your hero gets his dunk blocked or say, gives baseball a go when it’s obviously not his forte, their ability to continually prove why you put them on said pedestal will inevitably bowl you right over.

AbsolutePunk Aug 6, 2009

For a band that has gone through numerous member changes and only retained one original member, Underoath are doing pretty damn good. When the band lost their vocalist Dallas Taylor, it seemed like the end was near, but with continued fate, the group found a new vocalist named Spencer Chamberlain and they haven’t looked back since. The group has become one of the biggest bands not only in the post-hardcore scene, but the music scene in general. With every record, the band continues to push their songwriting abilities. After the highly successful album, Define The Great Line, the band went on lengthy tours and continued to work away at trying to topple their last effort. Knowing that this was going to take some time, they released the DVD 777. The DVD was mostly footage of the band on tour supporting the album, but it also included a short concert that was done for Myspace’s Secret Shows.

AbsolutePunk Aug 5, 2009

You have to give Stephen Christian credit – the man is far from your typical rock star. Of course he is best known for his work with scene staples Anberlin, but Christian has a degree in psychology, has written a book, co-founded a non-profit organization, and is in general a supremely nice guy. So when he accumulated a pile of songs that didn’t quite fit what Anberlin was doing, it makes sense that Stephen wouldn’t take the easy way out. He could certainly tweak the songs enough so they could be peppered amongst future Anberlin releases, but rather than compromise the cohesiveness of those works and the integrity of these compositions, Christian instead decided to give them a proper release under the Anchor & Braille moniker. This was by no means some hasty, overnight project. It is a true labor of love that has been in progress (in some form or another) for almost a decade, and with the quality of Felt, it shows.

AbsolutePunk Jun 22, 2009

So here we are – halfway through the sprawling six-volume epic of The Dear Hunter, and the road has been anything but smooth. After the universally adored Act II came out and gained traction in the scene, the band was almost dismantled by the departure of three members, leaving the future of the band and its opus in clouded doubt. Thankfully for fans, Casey Crescenzo is persistent to the greatest degree, and along with Erick Serna, rebuilt The Dear Hunter to rise again.

One might think that with this discord and splintering, the work of The Dear Hunter might suffer in kind, but such is not the case. If anything, Act III: Life and Death ends up being a much more focused, coherent offering, and exhibits no signs of faltering or lost momentum. Whereas Act II: The Meaning Of & All Things Regarding Ms. Leading was the progeny of the band experimenting across the entire sonic spectrum, Act III is the sound of a band finding their sound, and honing it to a fine point. Act II was lauded for its diversity, but Act III almost makes it sound disconnected in comparison. Act II was almost certainly the band (and Casey) finding itself, and Act III is the first revelation of the growth to come from said self-awareness.

AbsolutePunk May 14, 2009

The evolution of musical artists is an enigma in itself. While it can often polarize the fan of a beloved artist, it is absolutely fundamental for an artist to be able to grow, particularly as they become older and their longevity hinders on their next move. Surely it doesn’t always work, and many times, bands fail to ignite a fire with a large audience and are forced to step back creatively in order to earn their fans’ ears back. The approach is an anomaly since selfish listeners can’t budge and try out a drastic (or not so drastic) change, simply based on the band members’ decision to explore new depths of sound.

In 2004, Green Day did precisely what they had to do in order to maintain relevancy. There was no other choice after the mild success of 2000’s Warning, arguably their most inventive and shape-shifting album left the band in a questionable state. Following the lead of The Who down to almost a ‘T’, the band wrote a massive punk rock opera that followed the vaguely metaphorical tale of a youth living two different lives in a troubled modern era. The success paved the way for Green Day to distance themselves from their bratty punk rock past and move towards crafting ambitious efforts that rang of fierce, unsavory lashings at politics and religion, all while weaving a yarn that while still punk rock in all its context, allowed the band to develop a gratuitous sense of self while expanding their trademarked brand of punk rock.

AbsolutePunk May 7, 2009

”I hate a song that makes you think you are no good. I hate a song that makes you think you are just born to lose.” – Woody Guthrie

Give Anti-Flag credit for never being condescending or coming across as know-it-alls. This is a band made up of four guys who like punk rock, and are willing to scrap the chance at super-stardom in order to express their messages through song. Maybe that is why so many people were upset when they signed to RCA in 2006, but were still able to release an album that maintained their own values and stuck it to the man with an ironic iron fist that was full of sarcastic wit & pent-up angst.

So, after seven full-length studio albums, Anti-Flag rode the major-label wave and wasn’t feeling the surf. Now, they are back where they belong, on a label that has been gaining some serious clout the past year, thanks to in part to their highly-praised roster (including The Gaslight Anthem and Fake Problems). While this should ultimately have the band dancing on clouds and skipping through the woods, Anti-Flag’s brand of joy comes from being exceptionally pissed off and letting you pleasure from it.

AbsolutePunk May 6, 2009

It’s tough not to sound like a pretentious music elitist when you are discussing something you feel very passionate about. So, if I come across as one right now, I apologize right off the bat. If you can’t find something to like in Paper Route, then you don’t appreciate good music. It’s even tough for me to try to convey my thoughts on this album when I can’t even fully comprehend how complex it is.

Paper Route is a four piece band from Nashville, Tennessee that was formed in 2004 after several other bands had disassembled. As of late, the band has been touring with music scene heavyweights such as Paramore, Jack’s Mannequin, and Copeland. Audiences and fans alike have been thoroughly impressed and have had nothing but great things to say about the band, mostly because they have only been touring on a couple of EPs and haven’t had a lot of material to work with, which brings us to the present place and time, April 28, 2009. Paper Route’s debut album Absence is officially available. So how does it stack up? Let’s just say that it’s one of the best albums of the year so far.

Review: Cartel – Cycles

Review: Taking Back Sunday – Tell All Your Friends

Review: Mayday Parade – Anywhere but Here

Review: Brand New – Daisy

Review: AFI – Crash Love

Review: The Swellers – Ups and Downsizing

Review: Saosin – In Search of Solid Ground

The Absolute 100 (2009)

Review: Thrice – Beggars

Review: Underoath – Survive, Kaleidoscope

Review: Anchor & Braille – Felt

Review: The Dear Hunter – Act III: Life and Death

Review: Green Day – 21st Century Breakdown

Review: Anti-Flag – The People or the Gun

Review: Paper Route – Absence