Review: Bayside – The Walking Wounded

Drew Beringer Feb 6, 2007

“I can’t, can’t wait/till you see, see, see/what death and disgust/have done to me.”

The above lyric, which appears on Bayside’s third full length album, The Walking Wounded, can sum up the majority of thoughts and emotions the band are portraying to the listener. For those of you living under a rock, Bayside’s drummer, John “Beatz” Holohan was tragically killed in a van accident Halloween 2005. With such a traumatic experience looking the band in the face, it would have been easy to quit and go numb to the world. Instead, they kept Beatz in spirit, and became a better band. The hard work pays off onWounded, as the Long Island quartet (vocalist/guitarist Anthony Raneri, guitarist Jack O’Shea, bassist Nick Ghanbarian, and new drummer Chris Guglielmo) has never sounded more intense and on point. Working with them again are Shep Goodman and Kenny Gioia, both of whom produced 2005’s self-titled effort, and they helped made the band’s sound tighter and angrier.

Drew Beringer Jan 29, 2007

For every individual who listens to music, there is also that one “iffy” band. It could be a band that has released solid yet not spectacular albums, or has released a few great songs and a few mediocre songs; basically, it’s a band that has grabbed your attention but cannot seem to hold on to it. One band that has fit this description for me is Anberlin. Sure, their first two albums have some great tracks, but they also have contained tracks I could care less for. They’ve also been a band that couldn’t seem to figure what they wanted to sound like. Some tracks they would be very intense while other tracks were as poppy as can be. Because of this, Anberlin was a band that I was very lukewarm towards. Until I heard Cities. With their third album, the Florida quintet has shattered everything I used to think about the band. Produced by Aaron Sprinkle, Cities display a vast improvement in every aspect. The drums hit harder, the guitars sound tighter, and Stephen Christian’s vocals soar higher than every before. In other words, the overall sound of Anberlin is bigger than ever.

AbsolutePunk Jan 23, 2007

A Day To Remember are sure to incur a number of haters with their pop-laden pit core. Over the years, there have been many bands try the sing/scream route and while a number of have gone onto scene stardom (Senses Fail, Finch, Hawthorne Heights), more have fallen flat on their face. So many, that labels began to shy away from signing such bands for a just long enough period of time for us to forget how tired we were of that sound. Thankfully, I’ve forgotten how tired I was of that sound and Victory doesn’t give a shit what people like me think anyway.

AbsolutePunk Jan 21, 2007

Please Come Home is the freewheeling solo debut of Thrice frontman Dustin Kensrue. Kensrue’s folk-country labor of love has finally taken shape with a minimalist 8-song release featuring Thrice axe-man Teppei Teranishi and the band’s guitar tech, Chris Jones.

The album kicks off with a double-time acoustic number called “I Knew You Before.” Kensrue sends a scathing message with sharp lyrics aimed at the degradation of women. Interesting fare, for sure, and it proves quite the compelling opener for Please Come Home. The title track is a rather unexpected ballad that stands proud although at times seemingly scattered. The arrangements feel a little off until Kensrue hits the chorus for the first time, and then he finds his groove. “Blanket of Ghosts” is the surefire sleeper song on the album. Sounding as though Kensrue decided to channel Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz, the song meanders along with an organ-heavy accompaniment (courtesy of Thrice’s Teranishi). Many listeners may skip this song, but it reminds me a lot of Duritz’s “A Long December,” with its slick lyrics, extended solos, and pleasing tone.

Remove

Review: Sugarcult – Lights Out

AbsolutePunk Nov 18, 2006

Just about every band out there ends up with a song or two expressing a deep-held desire to spread their wings because they are jaded with the current state of affairs. Sugarcult’s third album, Lights Out, is jaded and yearning for more, which is ultimately what their fans may feel upon repeated listens.

Sugarcult have always relied on squealing instrumentals sure to get fans jumping around and singing along, even if the music falls squarely into the pop-punk category. Lights Outis no different, although the tones are just a little bit darker and Tim Pagnotta’s vocals just a little bit rougher than we have heard before. The title track is merely a shout-along intro to “Dead Living,” which will get you well acquainted with the overall sound of the new CD. Glossed production brings the manic-depressive “Los Angeles” to the forefront of the CD in all its shimmering glory and radio readiness. Sugarcult has always stood on the strength of their singles, and as the second single, “Los Angeles” will help them try to return to the mainstream. Following quickly is “Do It Alone” (the first single from Lights Out, conveniently), which provides a more upbeat song reminiscent of Start Static. The chorus repeats a bit too often, but it is certainly sugary and memorable.

Drew Beringer Nov 13, 2006

It’s inevitable, +44 and Angels & Airwaves will be (unfairly) compared. Yes, both bands feature members from one of the most influential pop-punk bands ever, blink-182. And yes, both bands released their hotly anticipated albums this year. But, this is where all the comparisons end. While AVA’s album was trying to be the next U2, Mark Hoppus wrote more about the end of blink and how horrible his past year had been. While +44 isn’t completely different than from the sound blink-182 captured on their last release, it would be an injustice to the band to categorize their debut album, When Your Heart Stops Beating, as “blink-182 with synths.” It’s much more than that on this thirteen track journey. Produced by Hoppus and drummer Travis Barker, with some help from executive producer Jerry Finn features a nice balance of upbeat pop-punk tunes, arena-sized rockers, and somber tracks.

Drew Beringer Oct 29, 2006

Throughout their long career, Deftones have been pushing the musical boundaries of metal since day one. Their first two albums (1995’s Adrenaline and 1997’s Around The Fur) were raw, chaotic, and in your face. After a 3 year break, the Sacramento band, which was originally a quartet (vocalist/guitarist Chino Moreno, guitarist Stephen Carpenter, bassist Chi Cheng, and drummer Abe Cunningham), officially added keyboardist/DJ Frank Delgado to the mix, and released the genre defying White Pony. Heavier, moodier, and complex, it prompted all major music publications to crown them as the “Radiohead of Metal.” It is also very likely that White Pony influenced some of your favorite post-hardcore bands recent albums. After all the success and hype (Pony went on to go platinum), Deftones followed it up with 2003’s self titled effort, which left much to be desired. The band has said they became lazy on that record and that album showed how much they put into it. Leaving many fans disappointed, Deftones barely toured to support that record, and many began to forget about them and/or write them off. Their latest release, Saturday Night Wrist, is here to win back those fans and erase the disappointment of the last album.

Drew Beringer Oct 24, 2006

This Halloween, just like any other, many people go out looking for something that’ll scare them. They search for something that rattle their bones, haunt their dreams, and leave a lasting impression on their senses. While most people will look for this sensation in the wrong places, such as going to cheesy haunted houses or wasting eight bucks on Saw III, I am here to point you towards something that is truly horrific, brutal and unforgiving. This “something” is nothing but Converge’s latest hardcore offering, the ruthless No Heroes. The longtime Boston outfit – vocalist/madman Jake Bannon, guitarist Kurt Ballou, bassist Nate Newton, and drummer Ben Koller – are back to old habits here, as fans who were disappointed by 2004’s You Fail Me will be happy to notice somewhat of a return back to the style of Petitioning The Empty Sky and When Forever Comes Crashing. Produced by Ballou and guided by Bannon’s artistic vision and meditative lyrics, No Heroes is here to take no prisoners.

AbsolutePunk Oct 23, 2006

You may love to rip them for what you perceive their image to be. But there’s one thing you can’t take away from the powerhouse known as My Chemical Romance: This is a group of talented musicians with a vision that refuse to apply the brakes to their imagination, creativity, and ability.

The New Jersey quintet – singer Gerard Way, bassist Mikey Way, guitarists Ray Toro and Frank Iero, drummer Bob Bryar – has pulled out all the stops for The Black Parade and has released anything but a sequel to their last material. The 13-track (14 if you want to get technical and include the “Hidden Track”) effort will leave you with a feeling like that of being in a theatre on Broadway, watching dancers and singers bring to life the latest Andrew Lloyd Weber tale.

Remove

Review: Dead Poetic – Vices

AbsolutePunk Oct 23, 2006

Maynard James Keenan would be proud.

Being the new millennium and all, alternative music of today has strayed from the place of where alternative music came from in the early 90s. Bands like Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Soundgarden and Tool stood as monuments for how rock and roll would be angrier and more personal, intuitive and unabbreviated. On Vices, Dead Poetic have certainly bottled that charisma and whittled away any form of screamo critics thought they were. Capturing themes of—you guessed it—vices, the lyrical development of Vices strains through sexuality, pride, vanity and ultimately redemption.

AbsolutePunk Oct 18, 2006

Every so often, a band comes into the music scene and establishes an enigmatic relationship with their fans. Not in a Radiohead-esque way, but they look just a little bit deeper than everyone else and their fans grow fiercely loyal, just as the haters ruthlessly defend their feelings. Copeland is one of those bands. Three original studio albums into their career on The Militia Group, each has been an exercise in creativity, expansive songwriting, and flamboyant musical excess. Eat, Sleep, Repeat, despite its mundane title, is the pinnacle of the band’s career so far, and both sides of the scene will be coming to blows for years over this CD.

Drew Beringer Oct 16, 2006

In 2003, a small five-piece from California named A Static Lullaby released their debut album, …And Don’t Forget To Breathe, on Ferret Records and where one of the first bands to make the “sing-scream” pattern huge. Forget To Breathe was a gateway album for many people, as it was the first album kids heard of this style. As they developed a devout following, they signed to major label Columbia records and released what we would call the sophomore slump. ASL released Faso Latido in 2005 and switched up their style a bit, making their sound more rock-orientated. Needless to say, this blew up in their face; they were dropped by Columbia and were near breaking up. 3 original members – bassist/vocalist Phil Pirrone, drummer Brett Dinovo, and guitarist Nate Lindeman – quit the band to pursue other projects, leaving the other two members, vocalist Joe Brown and guitarist/vocalist Dan Arnold in a tight spot. Instead of retiring A Static Lullaby for good, they recruited three new members – guitarist John Death, bassist Dane Poppin, and drummer Jarrod Alexander – and signed to a new label (Fearless) to release their self-titled third album. Produced by Steve Evetts (Saves The Day, He Is Legend, Lifetime), A Static Lullaby is a return to their roots; Brown’s scream dominates many tracks and the song structures closely follow those of Forget To Breathe. This album is meant to bring back their old fans, which this album succeeds at doing.

AbsolutePunk Oct 7, 2006

Justin Timberlake obviously missed the whole “quit while you’re on top” lecture. Too stubborn to exit the public after his stint on the Mickey Mouse Club with Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and JC Chasez, Timberlake recruited a juggernaut boy band which danced and moaned their way to the fastest selling album of all time, 2000’s No Strings Attached. Still craving an artistic outlet, a few more heaping piles of cash, or perhaps simple celebrity, Timberlake embarked on his solo journey after ‘N Sync’s 2002 demise. Rather than subtly testing the waters of solitude, the former paragon of all things squeaky clean and role model-worthy made ferocious waves everywhere by inundating fans and detractors alike with both a redeveloped persona and revamped sound. Conquering the masses with his debut chart-topper Justified, which sold a towering 7,000,000 some-odd copies worldwide left J.T. feeling unfulfilled still. Enter FutureSex/LoveSounds.

Drew Beringer Oct 4, 2006

It’s just another stretch of highway. 
I never asked for ordinary. 
Time and time change. 
If I rewrote this it might just sound the same.

Those are the words that begin Spitalfield’s third album, Better Than Knowing Where You Are. That intro (titled “Dare To…”), backed by dreamy guitar tones and softly sung by vocalist and guitarist Mark Rose, displays the writing perspective from the Chicago quartet. Spitalfield has never written the same record twice, from the pop-punk goodness of their debut, Remember Right Now to the more rock-orientated second album, 2005’s Stop Doing Bad Things. These lyrics can also be directed towards Spitalfield’s fans, the majority of which despised the critically acclaimed Bad Things, longing for the pop-filled hooks that dominated Right Now. Fans need not worry about the groups latest (and best) offering yet. Combining the hooks and melody of the first record along with the maturity of the second, Better Than Knowing displays how much progression this band has made over the course of their eight year existence.

Remove

Review: John Mayer – Continuum

AbsolutePunk Sep 28, 2006

And if we had the power 
to bring our neighbors home from war
They would have never missed a Christmas
No more ribbons on the door

John Mayer aims straight for the heart with his poignant fourth studio album, Continuum. The anti-war anthem and lead single “Waiting On the World to Change” gives listeners, both old and new, an idea of how far Mayer has come. To be frank, this is no “Your Body Is A Wonderland.” With Continuum, Mayer broadens his fan base by infusing a very blues and R&B-influenced sound. On the next track, Mayer strips down the soft-pop sound and builds “I Don’t Trust Myself (With Loving You)” around an effervescently jazzy guitar piece. He has proven both his durability and versatility as a songwriter with Continuum. Mayer designs each melody delicately in order to best capture the listener’s heart; this stellar CD should attract an amalgam of old and new fans.

Review: Bayside – The Walking Wounded

Review: Anberlin – Cities

Review: A Day to Remember – For Those Who Have Heart

Review: Dustin Kensrue – Please Come Home

Review: Sugarcult – Lights Out

Review: +44 – When Your Heart Stops Beating

Review: Deftones – Saturday Night Wrist

Review: Converge – No Heroes

Review: My Chemical Romance – The Black Parade

Review: Dead Poetic – Vices

Review: Copeland – Eat, Sleep, Repeat

Review: A Static Lullaby – A Static Lullaby

Review: Justin Timberlake – FutureSex/LoveSounds

Review: Spitalfield – Better Than Knowing Where You Are

Review: John Mayer – Continuum