Review: You Blew It! – Keep Doing What You’re Doing

Drew Beringer Jan 17, 2014

Revival my ass. Sure, there has been a handful of think pieces and reviews lately about the “reemergence” of emo from the type of music journalist who jumps from trend to trend (or hashtag to hashtag) but honestly any fan from the scene already knows that 1. emo never went away (or will go away – just check the AbsolutePunk.net homepage the last ten years) and 2. Florida’s You Blew It! have been cranking out emo-flavored pop-punk jams over the past four-plus years, as the group’s latest album, Keep Doing What You’re Doing, expands on the band’s so-called “1999” sound.

Hell, it was only two years ago we jokingly gave this style of music the absurd moniker “twinkle daddies.” But You Blew It! has emerged from 2012’s Cap’n Jazz-influenced Grow Up, Dude and last winter’s split with Fake Problems louder and bolder with Keep Doing What You’re Doing. Produced by Emo Mayor Evan Weiss, YBI!’s knack for loud, dissonant power chords boom throughout the record without its essential fuzziness being compromised. In fact, the production is very reminiscent of Weiss’ 2011 release, Proper, a record that did a bang-up job of balancing its stripped-down, raw moments with the louder, more frenetic ones while remaining sonically pleasing. “Match & Tinder” is a callused, aggressive opener that twitches between the rough anguish of vocalist Tanner Jones’ rasp and the wistfulness of Andy Anaya’s frantic guitar work. The pop from Timothy Flynn’s relentless snare drum paces “Award of the Year Award”’s driving heaviness as an exasperated Jones yells, “Consider me a friend, but only in the past tense.”

Drew Beringer Oct 8, 2013

I’m not really into pop-rock music anymore. That might be a shock to the people who know me/follow me on Twitter, but it’s true – the oversaturation of the genre has really turned me off to the entire sound. Despite all of my preconceived notions about this style of music, Mayday Parade always seem to write an album that needles its way into my heart. I hate using the term “guilty pleasure,” so I’m not going to use here, especially on a band that just wrote 12 huge tracks on its latest release, Monsters In The Closet – an album built for arenas.

Now, I’m not saying the band has reinvented the wheel or anything – rather they’ve continued to refine and perfect the pop-rock sound so many fans fell in love with six years on A Lesson In Romantics. Vocalist Derek Sanders is still one of the most emphatic and charismatic front men today and he totally owns each of Monsters’ twelve tracks. “Ghosts” kicks off Monsters with Sanders singing a cappella (with the band harmonizing behind him) before kicking it into high gear. Drummer Jake Bundrick punctures through the dueling guitar riffs of Brooks Betts and Alex Garcia while Sanders carries the song’s massive hook. And honestly, nearly every song has a monstrous hook. “Girls” and “Repent and Repeat” go from zero to sixty in an instant (displaying the band’s pop-punk chops), while “Last Night For A Table Of Two” and “The Torment of Existence Weighed Against The Horror Of Nonbeing” (awesome Calvin and Hobbes reference by the way) showcase the continuous growth in the band’s songwriting (Betts and Garcia have really outdone themselves on Monsters).

Drew Beringer Aug 26, 2013

Another year, another 100 bands hand-picked by the AbsolutePunk staff for you to check out. Seeking out and discovering new music is one of my favorite things to do – not only as a writer but also as a passionate fan of the art form. Last year we introduced to you some bands that are tearing up 2013 thus far (Pity Sex, Chelsea Wolfe, and Pentimento for example) and we are poised to do the same in 2013. It’s kind of like having a jumbo book of Where’s Waldo?, only in this case our list is the book and Waldo is your new favorite band. We don’t buy into buzz, hype, or whatever – this is a list of one hundred musical acts that we as a staff truly love and support. Enjoy this year’s list (revealed in four parts over four weeks) and let us know which ones are your new favorites.

Drew Beringer Jul 23, 2013

Yesterday was the ten year anniversary of Yellowcard’s breakthrough album, Ocean Avenue. On August 13th, the band will be releasing a special acoustic album featuring all thirteen Ocean Avenue tracks. Today, we’re premiering the first video from Ocean Avenue Acoustic of the song that changed everything for the band – “Ocean Avenue.” I’ve been listening to the acoustic album for a little while now and each song is incredibly well-done, with this track being one of the standouts. You can also pre-order Ocean Avenue Acousticon iTunes for only $7.99 and it comes with an instant download of this song. If you’re a vinyl guy like me, you can also pick this up on wax here. The band is also heading out on tour in September, so check to see if it’s coming near you and purchase tickets here. So check out the video in the replies and let us know what you think about this new rendition.

Drew Beringer Jul 8, 2013

I bet you weren’t expecting to see this name on the byline. No doubt some, if not most of you have seen the tweets, posts, threads, etc. chronicling the turmoil of The Dangerous Summer between themselves, their fans, and sometimes this very website. And I’ll be honest – even a month ago I wouldn’t have believed I’d be writing the review for the band’s latest release, Golden Record. I’ve always been a fan of the band’s music (War Paint was in heavy rotation during the summer of 2011), but the antics and weird shit that went on turned me off to the band. But sometimes a simple post from the offending party can act as an olive branch and you reevaluate things. Hey man, music mends broken hearts and it can also rebuild bridges.

Drew Beringer Jun 18, 2013

Everything you need to know about Whenever, If Ever – the debut full length from The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die – is right there in the image gracing the album’s cover. It’s a snapshot of exuberance and carefree youth – the idea of jumping off a cliff into the unknown is met with I don’t give a fuck enthusiasm perfectly sums up the ten track record. Even the album title possesses that attitude.

Throughout Whenever, If Ever, The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die (you best believe I’m abbreviating the shit out of this name for the duration of this review) takes plenty of lefts in its music when you’re expecting rights. Post-rock tendencies are met with horns-aplenty and juxtaposed against incredibly catchy pop-punk-esque hooks. TWIABP’s thorough aggressiveness is exhilarating from beginning to end. The album’s sleepy intro, the two-minute “Blank #9,” is tasked with bringing what’s so endearing about TWIABP to life, as it leads into quirky guitar opening of “Heartbeat In The Brain” before the avalanche of instrumentation rushes into our ears.

Drew Beringer Jun 7, 2013

It makes sense that the band with the battle cry of “Defend Pop Punk” would eventually take aim at the heart. With its self-titled Rise debut feeling a bit safe at times, we needed Man Overboard to reclaim that Real Talk urgency. I’m not saying the band’s last album was bad, but it was missing some of the punch its debut possessed. Thankfully, that’s not the case with Heart Attack, as Man Overboard has brought back its defibrillator to jumpstart things once again.

One of my colleagues stated that it finally sounds like the band is composing complete songs instead of just hooks, and I tend to agree – at least that’s how the self-titled came across to me; it had killer choruses but not much else. Heart Attack remedies that, however, as album opener “Secret Pain” delivers the right amount of kick, as the mid-tempo verses and energetic chorus gives off the sense of a refined Real Talk track. “Boy Without Batteries” features one of the album’s best choruses (good luck getting that bridge out of your head), while the title track and “Suppy” are pure pop-punk bliss.

Drew Beringer May 28, 2013

Last time we checked in with Eisley, the band was exploring the deep space with its very good extended play of the same name. During the time between that and its latest Equal Vision release, Currents, a lot has happened internally and externally. Some things stayed the same (the band recorded once again in its home studio; they still have an ear for incredibly melodies and hooks), some changed, at least in each member’s personal life (there were a lot of babies in the studio; the band is facing controversy from its failed Kickstarter campaign). But forget all that for now, as the only thing that matters is if the DuPree gang would continue its trend of releasing atmospheric indie-pop gems.

Drew Beringer Apr 2, 2013

For some reason, Alkaline Trio falls into this weird “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” area with their legion of fans. Whenever the band experiments with its sound (Crimson, Agony & Irony), fans complain that it doesn’t sound like the band’s previous material. So when the Trio writes an album that’s a throwback of sorts (its last full-lengthThis Addiction), fans whine about it not being as good as From Here To The Infirmary or Goddammit. The band can’t win. Fortunately, this hasn’t ever deterred the band from writing what they deem to be the best Alkaline Trio songs. On its second proper Epitaph full-length, the band headed to the Blasting Room to work with legendary producer Bill Stevenson for (surprisingly) the first time in its career. The result is My Shame Is True, the Trio’s tightest collection of songs since 2003’s Good Mourning.

Drew Beringer Mar 19, 2013

The idea that one situation can changed dramatically by something as innocent as where the wind blows is a compelling one – something Silverstein explores thoroughly on its latest album, This Is How The Wind Shifts. I feel like Silverstein has been one of the more underappreciated bands out of the early-00’s post-hardcore boom. While many similar acts have either folded or released poor imitations of past work, the Ontario quintet continues to challenge their selves. This Is How The Wind Shifts is proof of that, as it’s the band’s finest effort in its decade-plus career.

Drew Beringer Jan 22, 2013

Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?
Rob Gordon, High Fidelity

For some reason this quote from the 2000 flick High Fidelity continues to pop into my head anytime I finish listening to Tegan and Sara’s latest album Heartthrob. Now, I’m not saying that this album makes me miserable (quite the opposite really). Rather, the reason I can’t shake that quote is because Heartthrob excels at disguising its darker lyrical content with bright, up-tempo electronica flourishes. And there are a lot of electronic touches throughout Heartthrob, as Tegan and Sara trade in their guitars for keys and synthesizers. This is a full-fledged pop album and that may be shocking to some. But make no mistake: Heartthrob is undoubtedly Tegan and Sara’s best album.

But if you’ve been paying attention, you’ll realize that the duo has been inching closer and closer to this type of sound over the course of the last few Tegan and Sara records (as well as their cameos on dance tracks from EDM artists Tiesto and Morgan Page). The band has been churning out three minute pop delicacies since So Jealous and on Heartthrob, they’ve perfected it. Honestly, I’ve been waiting for this change of pace in the duo’s music and I couldn’t be happier with how Heartthrob turned out. The twin sisters have pushed themselves creatively and musically, creating something truly special. The ten-track LP was co-produced by Greg Kurstin and Mike Elizondo (two producers who’ve worked with the likes of Ke$ha, Lily Allen, Sia, 50 Cent, Dr. Dre, and Maroon 5), leading to a pristine and massive sounding record. Songs like “Drove Me Wild” and single “Closer” are perfect examples – both have huge, infectious choruses that are paced by a dizzying array of vibrant keys and buzzing synth. It was a no-brainer for the sisters to work with this production team, launching Tegan and Sara’s songwriting to new heights.

Drew Beringer Nov 12, 2012

I was 14 when I bought White Pony, the third album from Sacramento metal legends Deftones. Little did I know that this purchase on a June day would eventually change my life. I didn’t realize music could be so intricate, emotional, and devastating all in one swoop. White Pony consumed me and turned my interest in music from casual encounters to a passionate love affair. Honestly, that album is the reason I have this very job.

So why is my story relevant? It’s because I feel the same emotions I did 12 years ago when listening to Koi No Yokan, the seventh full-length from Deftones.

Drew Beringer Aug 27, 2012

We’ve seen this movie before. Band reaches moderate success on indie label, signs to major, releases major label debut, album gets little to no push, band and major separate mutually. It’s the most predictable cycle of events since every Katherine Heigl movie ever. But the cycle’s most recent addition, Circa Survive, isn’t your typical band. Their major label debut Blue Sky Noise was a killer album – a staggering cornucopia of everything you loved from their first two albums. But let’s be real, Circa Survive is too zealous of a group to be constrained by the limitations of a major (or any) label (but it was admirable that they kicked the tires with the ol’ major try. You know, YOLO and all that garbage). So it made absolute sense when the band announced that they were going to go the DIY route with their fourth album Violent Waves.

Drew Beringer Aug 7, 2012

It’s kind of funny that Anchor & Braille’s second album is titled The Quiet Life, since it’s anything but. While this collection of songs isn’t as in your face as Stephen Christian’s other band Anberlin, his latest effort with his side project is incredibly vibrant and varied. After proving that this project wasn’t just a retread of slower Anberlin-esque songs with his 2009 debut Felt, Christian’s eclectic musical interests is all over The Quiet Life. Reuniting with his other band’s former label Tooth & Nail, The Quiet Life takes what worked on Felt, refined it, and added in some new twists and turns to create one of the best releases Christian has ever been a part of.

Drew Beringer Jul 10, 2012

While most tuned-in reviewers, bloggers, and music fans discovered Frank Ocean with his critically-acclaimed mixtape nostalgia ULTRA, the majority of the mainstream were introduced to Ocean’s distinct croon when he provided the vocals to the incredible hook of Kanye West and Jay-Z’s hit “No Church In The Wild.” It’s obvious that his voice was built for stardom and top 40 radio. The only problem with that idea, however, is that Ocean wants nothing to do with that, as he skips the trends and marches to the beat of his own 808. Fans old and new will need to expect the unexpected on Ocean’s major label channel ORANGE, as its seventeen tracks showcase an artist who is much more conflicted and layered than perhaps originally thought.

Review: You Blew It! – Keep Doing What You’re Doing

Review: Mayday Parade – Monsters In The Closet

The Absolute 100 (2013)

Yellowcard – “Ocean Avenue” Acoustic (Video Premiere)

Review: The Dangerous Summer – Gold Record

Review: The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die – Whenever, If Ever

Review: Man Overboard – Heart Attack

Review: Eisley – Currents

Review: Alkaline Trio – My Shame Is True

Review: Silverstein – This Is How The Wind Shifts

Review: Tegan and Sara – Heartthrob

Review: Deftones – Koi No Yokan

Review: Circa Survive – Violent Waves

Review: Anchor & Braille – The Quiet Life

Review: Frank Ocean – Channel Orange