This best of list was originally posted on AbsolutePunk.net in 2008. It has been brought over to Chorus.fm for posterity.
Read More “Jason Tate’s Top Albums of 2008”Jason Tate’s Top Albums of 2008
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AbsolutePunk.net’s Top Albums of 2007
This best of list was put together by the AbsolutePunk.net staff in 2007. It used an old system for ranking albums, but has been brought over to Chorus.fm for posterity.
Read More “AbsolutePunk.net’s Top Albums of 2007”Jason Tate’s Top Albums of 2007
This best of list was originally posted on AbsolutePunk.net in 2007. It has been brought over to Chorus.fm for posterity.
Read More “Jason Tate’s Top Albums of 2007”Review: The Starting Line – Direction
This summer reads like a pop fan’s wet-dream.
We find July bringing the trifecta of “must-own” summer albums to a close. For those who lean toward the pop persuasion, The Starting Line will come as a fitting end to a two week burst of purchases that is sure to include multiple trips to the record store in search of Yellowcard and MxPx. This gives you two full weeks to play both of the aforementioned albums – because once you’ve purchased Direction, it’s unlikely to leave your stereo for quite some time.
Read More “The Starting Line – Direction”Review: Yellowcard – Paper Walls
Let us face the facts: not many music critics want to admit to liking pop-punk. Not even I, the great pop-punk apologist, can say the negative connotation associated with the genre is undeserving. Think about it – from the young and extremely vocal fans, to the piled on guy liner, to the outrageous media stunts – it’s easy to see why the genre has become the leper colony of the music world.
Review: MxPx – Secret Weapon
Without MxPx this website would not exist.
I’m not aiming for overdramatics to spice up the opening line of my review, I’m being dead serious. It was MxPx that pulled me out of my junior-high years of Pantera and Metallica. It was MxPx who were (along with Blink 182) one the first bands covered by the original AP.net. It was MxPx who, upon first listen so many years ago, drew me into the melodic world of fast drumming overlaid with lyrics mostly about (failed) relationships.
Now – almost 12 years later – I’m still listening.
This is a band that has been around for over 10 years and released over seven full-lengths, four EPs, three compilation CDs, and one live album; almost all of these with the same three members. They’ve written songs from each end, and just about every level in-between, of the pop-punk spectrum. Fast and raucous to extremely poppy – they’ve done it. This foray through an assortment of styles has left the band with a blend of fans. Most vocal are those who pledge allegiance to the sound of the band’s roots and have been wishing for a repeat of the Life in General and Slowly Going The Way of the Buffalo era. For me, my favorite song has always been “Doing Time” and my favorite album Slowly Going the Way… – so while I may be in the minority for having enjoyed all of the band’s releases, it’s been a while since I’ve genuinely loved one.
Read More “MxPx – Secret Weapon”Review: Paramore – Riot!
Oh, how I wanted to hate this album.
After the release of their debut, All We Know is Falling, I sat back and watched this band become the talk of our little website. I guess when you have a large enough group of pubescent boys together, any female immediately becomes a discussion topic. This phenomenon has led to countless threads discussing the lead singer of this band (a girl for those not in the know) and her dating habits, relative “hotness,” fashion sense, and just about any other topic not related to her band’s music. So when this album arrived in my mailbox, I was, to put it mildly, not in the mood to give it the time of day. So I did the rational thing: I ignored it. I hid it on my shelf and pretended it never arrived. Didn’t even open the CD case once. Mature? I know.
Review: Cary Brothers – Who Are You
“Zach Braff-core.”
That has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? I think I may just coin that phrase.
The term is not only applicable because Cary Brothers (first name Cary, last name Brothers) has had tracks appear on famed Zach Braff projects such as the Garden State Soundtrack (“Blue Eyes”) and the Last Kiss Soundtrack (“Ride”), nor is it only applicable because my first introduction to the artist was via a karaoke scene in Scrubs (Season 4: Episode 4 – “My First Kill”). No, the term can be used to accurately describe the sound of the artists deemed worthy of its association. I think you know what I’m talking about — moody, emotional music — maybe a little too mainstream to be indie yet a little too indie to be mainstream. The kind of music that fits the soundtrack to a movie so perfectly because you can also picture it as the soundtrack to your life. It’s the music that plays in your head before that first kiss with a new crush, and the music that radiates in your ears as you walk home after they break your heart. It’s the kind of music you can tie to memories so vividly that repeated listens conjure the smells, the tastes, and the other sensory images of the best (and worst) days of your life.
Review: Fall Out Boy – Infinity on High
The only way to open this review is to be honest about my intentions. Everyone knows I’m a fan of this band. My website has followed their career closely over the last few years and I have a personal relationship with some of the band members. It’s not often you hear a reviewer admit their bias, but I am doing just that. I’m a fan of the band, always have been, and probably always will. The reason I’m doing this is because I’ve come to the conclusion that there will be very few reviews (public or personal) on this album that, if the reviewer is honest with themselves, are completely objective. It seems everyone has a preconceived notion on how they feel about this band. The truth is — it’s their third (official) full-length, by this time you know if you like what they do or not. If you’re already a hater: don’t try and fool anyone into thinking you really thought, “you just might like this one” – because you won’t.
AbsolutePunk.net’s Top Albums of 2006
This best of list was put together by the AbsolutePunk.net staff in 2006. It used an old system for ranking albums, but has been brought over to Chorus.fm for posterity.
Read More “AbsolutePunk.net’s Top Albums of 2006”Jason Tate’s Top Albums of 2006
This best of list was originally posted on AbsolutePunk.net in 2006. It has been brought over to Chorus.fm for posterity.
Read More “Jason Tate’s Top Albums of 2006”Review: New Found Glory – Coming Home
New Found Glory have always been a musical-staple of my summers. Since the release of Nothing Gold Can Stay, so many years ago, it seems that when the weather gets warm the pop-punk goodness of NFG is always close in tow. However, the band’s latest album hits us as the summer months fade and the air bends to the onslaught of fall. Incidentally, the band’s musical thermometer is still intact. Instead of an album full of summer-fist-pumping-anthems they’ve released the perfect music by which to watch the leaves fall from the trees.
The changing of seasons seems to be the perfect metaphor for New Found Glory; however, it’s important to note that while the color of leaves may change, the underlying nature never does.
Read More “New Found Glory – Coming Home”Review: The Matches – Decomposer
I am going to be up-front with you right now: This band is not for everyone. In fact, there are a good many of you that are going to straight up hate this album. There are quite a few reading this that would probably rather place nails in their ears than ever listen to this band. I, however, am not one of those people. In fact – I think this is one of the best albums to be released this year and one of the most creative and innovative bands to be creating pop/punk/rock music in our, or any, genre.
Interview: Steve Klein of New Found Glory
We recently had a chance to conduct a quick interview with Steve of New Found Glory. We’d like to say thank you to the band (for being a huge inspiration in the foundation of this very website) and to Steve in particular for taking time out of his day to answer a few questions for us. The band’s new album Coming Home hits stores September 19th, 2006.
Read More “Steve Klein of New Found Glory”Review: Over It – Step Outside Yourself
The best way to describe Over It’s major label debut Step Outside Yourself is as a giant coming out party for everyone involved. The vocals are strong and impressive, the lyrics are poignant and refreshing, the guitars are predominately displayed, the bass is powerful, the drums blistering, and the production flawless. Every single aspect of this album is a step above everyone’s past work and in reaching this new plateau the album sits a step above their peers as well.
The time is ripe, the stage is set, and the curtains drawn. If there was ever a time when the phrase “the next big thing” was perfectly fitting – that time would be now.
Read More “Over It – Step Outside Yourself”