Tuesday, May 22, 2012
My EXPIRE interivew
i did this interview for EXPIRE and their new Bridge 9 LP - Pendulum Swings - on AMP Magazine.
CHECK IT HERE
IRON CROSS "Est 1980" ep Review
IRON CROSS
Est 1980 Review
Skin Flint Music
Yep, that’s right, that IRON CROSS. While Sab Grey has been doing shows with the IRON CROSS flag for a few recent years, Skinflint Music actually presents some new material from this scene legend. While it seems odd and a little misguided to throw a “sounds like” section when this guy started US Oi!... we can find easily comparable sounds in BRASS KNUCKLE BOYS, slower HUDSON FALCONS, JACK THE LAD, PATRIOT, 4 SKINS, and COCK SPARRER.
Now, while it’s not the original line-up – who better to man the skins (pun intended) than the drummer from the best band of the last decade, the SLUMLORDS’, SCOTTY P. Throw in JOEY NAILS from the most killer east coast punk band, THE RETICENTS….this thing kicks. Throw in good a rock and roll feel to a strong Oi! back beat and you have a winner.
“Strike First” blazes in a commanding punk speed. “Drunken Bull” is a darker tune with a great two step stomp. Sab borrows a DEAD END BOYS song “Die Yuppie Scum” that fits as it could be about the gentrification of DC. “Wasted in DC” is a rocking hard luck tune. To finish, Sab resurrects a tight version of “Crucified” on its 30 year Birthday. Pick this up on green vinyl or digitally.
IRON CROSS SKIN FLINT
Est 1980 Review
Skin Flint Music
Yep, that’s right, that IRON CROSS. While Sab Grey has been doing shows with the IRON CROSS flag for a few recent years, Skinflint Music actually presents some new material from this scene legend. While it seems odd and a little misguided to throw a “sounds like” section when this guy started US Oi!... we can find easily comparable sounds in BRASS KNUCKLE BOYS, slower HUDSON FALCONS, JACK THE LAD, PATRIOT, 4 SKINS, and COCK SPARRER.
Now, while it’s not the original line-up – who better to man the skins (pun intended) than the drummer from the best band of the last decade, the SLUMLORDS’, SCOTTY P. Throw in JOEY NAILS from the most killer east coast punk band, THE RETICENTS….this thing kicks. Throw in good a rock and roll feel to a strong Oi! back beat and you have a winner.
“Strike First” blazes in a commanding punk speed. “Drunken Bull” is a darker tune with a great two step stomp. Sab borrows a DEAD END BOYS song “Die Yuppie Scum” that fits as it could be about the gentrification of DC. “Wasted in DC” is a rocking hard luck tune. To finish, Sab resurrects a tight version of “Crucified” on its 30 year Birthday. Pick this up on green vinyl or digitally.
IRON CROSS SKIN FLINT
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Noi!se "Pushing On" + Retrospective Review
NOI!SE Pushing On Step-1/Longshot/Pirates Press
So i have been meaning to do a retrospective review of these dudes as they have floored me with amazing vinyl (and digital) releases in the last few years. i maybe have been in the loop for the last year, so i have been lucky enough to catch a deluge of great new music. Well, as luck would have it, they released a CD that encompasses all of these and saves me the footwork. i bought this - while i had purchased these dudes' 7"s, 10" comps etc. Then i bought it on iTunes/eMusic because i had to have this at all available outlets of home and travel. This band is that much of a necessity. So, despite having these in all formats, i wanted to support these hard working, great music making guys. And i am glad i did. NOI!SE rewards the consumer with a friendly price, great design, and an in depth explanation of the tracks from their releases. and then i see the "mastered by Adam Gonsalves" credit. and i knew i was in good hands. for anyone who knows of Adam and wonders what he has been up to, this is a great find. It is good to see that the DC native that put out Gang Up! zine, GangUp! webzine, CounterAttack, The Legionnaires, producer (Haircut, APA, etc) is continuing to be a presence in this scene. He is a great musician, a talented writer, a passionate sub culture dude, and a funny as hell/down to earth/enlightened dude to talk to. So i am glad he is doing well and pursuing music *(see links at end)
back to NOI!SE. they deliver quite the little package here. and take the time to hand us a distinguished presentation, accompanied with the story of their songs and them as a band. Which, as it happens, began in the summer of 2009 for the band; and soon there after, for our lonely ear drums. A paragraph or two meanders through the band's triumphant past of battle against members' sparse locations to harness an ardent and rebellious sound. In the words of THE MURDER CITY DEVILS, "I never heard a sad song that i didn't like" ("That's What You Get", Thelema). And NOI!SE songs harbor a solemn tone that drag your attention to a stiff drink and a batch of memories you were trying to evade. Looking at the digital columns on my screen, i tend to shutter when a punk or Oi! band's time expands beyond my 3 minute tolerance. But damn my prejudices, if NOI!SE cannot fade out of a 4:49m song and leave me yearning for it to continue.
NOI!SE's notes address this dark "brooding" cloud that loom above their instruments. And which songs adhere to this predilection and which ones stretch the fetters. The odd thing about this CD is that it does not follow the chronological sequence of songs released, but the reorder (chronologically reversed) still fits well. In fact, it ensnares you more so with their improved song writing up front. They open the disc with "Idle Action". This song's tone and gang chants are the emotional equivalent of Babylon's towers crumbling. They are devastating and stir up a myriad of jaded thoughts. Again, it clocks in at 4:49; but i never grew weary in the ear. the pounding drums of the chorus are the pith of this song. You can raise a pint, but your chin lowers. "Idle Action" has an aggressive underbelly, but the guitar chords' and mid-song exposed bass line's and subsequent backing vocal chants' draining harmonies make it a penalty of attrition. Despite its 5 minute length, i keep hitting 'back' to relive my own regret in this tune.
GESTALTS split 7", on Oi The Boat Records: "Coming Storm/Reality TV"
these two songs still embody the lament of prior songs, but are channeled through a fast, strong Oi! constructed collection of chords. "Coming Storm" is a killer track. Fast as THE KRAYS OR THE JINX, a dash of BLITZ, it could get some hardcore kids two stepping in the pit. "Reality TV" , a shorty at 3:02, is even heavier and also taps into a hardcore foundation. This is a bruiser that addresses this nation's asinine obsession with displacing one's dreams and the following, inevitable disillusionment. With a blaring rock and roll solo, the driving sound of this song stirs up quite a fury. This is Who We Are 10" Longshot/Contra
NOI!SE venture to qualify this release as a "departure from (their) darker, more vitriolic overtones". And while a song like "Brothers in Arms" has the back beat bounce of THE MUGGERS or THE BODIES, its chorus and the opener "Living for Today" still conjure up every skipped opportunity that i regret in my life. "Brothers in Arms", while an affirmation of fraternity, still prods my memories of brothers who have moved away. "Warrior Down" comes in with pogo friendly, drunken cheers. The blend of rock and roll tones and punk bounce is executed expertly. This manifests a sound that made THE BLOODLINE so classic. NOI!SE lends their hand to a cover of COCK SPARRER's "Take 'em All"; in a gritty gruff vocal delivery accompanying a sound with just the right balance of adherence to the original spiced up with a truly NOI!SE feel. "This is Who We Are" continues a beckoning for greater things. And when your pining for a better world is so clearly cultivated from discontent and resentment in the present society, the NOI!SE sound and message will undoubtedly invigorate; while creating a chasm the can only be filled with whiskey, beer and a sense of loss. these songs, all but the first, come in at under 3:00m. The snare pounds away like the hammering metronome of your boss' bitching. They are punk songs from the left side of our country, recalling the glorious ninth, err nine-ties. PRESSURE POINT, WHISKEY REBELS, THE REDUCERS; the height of TKO and GMM are clearly an easy reference. But NOI!SE bring much more to table. I bring up the west coast factor to hone in on the irrefutable impact that punk like early SOCIAL DISTORTION, BAD RELIGION, and AGENT ORANGE must have had. I wouldn't listen to a song like "TIWWA" and think "oh, is that a lost Suffer track?" But the approach to song writing; the ability to be loose and dirty with some guitar chords while carrying a melody is an approach that more boot boys need. While i know a lot of purists have disdain for the final PATRIOT album, Tim Armstrong finger prints and all; i argue that even the most adamant of detractors would have to concede that its writing is a generation of maturity and perspective from the early PATRIOT recordings. If people want to stay constrained in the mid-tempo prison of late 80s US OI!, let them. But NOI!SE don't even tread closely. I mean, PATRIOT has like 5 songs about drinking on that album. and they all sound like fresh, new songs. They are not mere songs, but poetic odes to our shared vice and its consequences and victories. you can rehash topics, just do not be boring. NOI!SE bring a sound and an earnest demand to their sound. It fits in well with what I deem the Old Guy sound (ReVilers, Wretched Ones, Tommy & The Terrors, The Cliches, The Templars, and the sound's holy trinity: Superyob, Evil Conduct, On File). Walk Beside Us 7" Longshot/Contra
These songs hold a simpler approach; but remain catchy as hell. They hold the same formula, just not as developed yet. 2009, first recordings. nix that. "Pushing On" clearly holds its merits as well as any of the newer things. Somber? check. Frenzied bass over a structured snare? check. Rocking solo? check. good stuff. 3 shorter 2 minute songs. "Blame" comes faster, heavier, and angrier. SO while i feel NOI!SE has an established sound, they certainly explore all the areas with in those parameters. It is like saying you are holding your fist still. but in that fist is a snake struggling to get free. "Reason Why" is a triumphant tune that i would play if i ever felt that i accomplished something of note. Upbeat(?), dominating riff with a pushing feeling that renders you proud just to be within ear shot.
The production on this release is commanding. Flawless. Each track is mixed perfectly. All instruments represent their purpose in the full scope of the band's sound. The added gang vocals and the singing - wrought with fervent sentiment - enhance what is excellent punk song writing. i find everything i want in punk in NOI!SE.
* to sum up the production, the song writing, the execution; and the emotions with which they are presented and the emotions that they will extract from your cold heart... i refer to the fitting "All He Ever Wanted" by Adolf & The Piss Artists (since that track was produced by Adam as well). the song covers an issue often visited by Oi! bands, but the lyrics are from a matured perspective; a well pondered aspect and smarter stand point. Place those lyrics over the taut, pensive frustration of the music and you have an unrelenting experience. Take that and play it in double time, and it will render song by NOI!SE.
FFO:
THE BLOODLINE, SYDNEY DUCKS, BAD RELIGION, MARCHING ORDERS, ANTI-HEROS, EVIL CONDUCT, SOCIAL DISTORTION; THE MISFITS; SOCIAL COMBAT; THE STAGGERS
LINKS:
Pirates Press Store
Myspace
the FB
Pushing on CD at RevHQ
CD, Vinyl, and Gear at interpunk!
Adam Gonsalves...including podcasts on sound engineering
Adam @ Telegraph Engineering
So i have been meaning to do a retrospective review of these dudes as they have floored me with amazing vinyl (and digital) releases in the last few years. i maybe have been in the loop for the last year, so i have been lucky enough to catch a deluge of great new music. Well, as luck would have it, they released a CD that encompasses all of these and saves me the footwork. i bought this - while i had purchased these dudes' 7"s, 10" comps etc. Then i bought it on iTunes/eMusic because i had to have this at all available outlets of home and travel. This band is that much of a necessity. So, despite having these in all formats, i wanted to support these hard working, great music making guys. And i am glad i did. NOI!SE rewards the consumer with a friendly price, great design, and an in depth explanation of the tracks from their releases. and then i see the "mastered by Adam Gonsalves" credit. and i knew i was in good hands. for anyone who knows of Adam and wonders what he has been up to, this is a great find. It is good to see that the DC native that put out Gang Up! zine, GangUp! webzine, CounterAttack, The Legionnaires, producer (Haircut, APA, etc) is continuing to be a presence in this scene. He is a great musician, a talented writer, a passionate sub culture dude, and a funny as hell/down to earth/enlightened dude to talk to. So i am glad he is doing well and pursuing music *(see links at end)
back to NOI!SE. they deliver quite the little package here. and take the time to hand us a distinguished presentation, accompanied with the story of their songs and them as a band. Which, as it happens, began in the summer of 2009 for the band; and soon there after, for our lonely ear drums. A paragraph or two meanders through the band's triumphant past of battle against members' sparse locations to harness an ardent and rebellious sound. In the words of THE MURDER CITY DEVILS, "I never heard a sad song that i didn't like" ("That's What You Get", Thelema). And NOI!SE songs harbor a solemn tone that drag your attention to a stiff drink and a batch of memories you were trying to evade. Looking at the digital columns on my screen, i tend to shutter when a punk or Oi! band's time expands beyond my 3 minute tolerance. But damn my prejudices, if NOI!SE cannot fade out of a 4:49m song and leave me yearning for it to continue.
NOI!SE's notes address this dark "brooding" cloud that loom above their instruments. And which songs adhere to this predilection and which ones stretch the fetters. The odd thing about this CD is that it does not follow the chronological sequence of songs released, but the reorder (chronologically reversed) still fits well. In fact, it ensnares you more so with their improved song writing up front. They open the disc with "Idle Action". This song's tone and gang chants are the emotional equivalent of Babylon's towers crumbling. They are devastating and stir up a myriad of jaded thoughts. Again, it clocks in at 4:49; but i never grew weary in the ear. the pounding drums of the chorus are the pith of this song. You can raise a pint, but your chin lowers. "Idle Action" has an aggressive underbelly, but the guitar chords' and mid-song exposed bass line's and subsequent backing vocal chants' draining harmonies make it a penalty of attrition. Despite its 5 minute length, i keep hitting 'back' to relive my own regret in this tune.
GESTALTS split 7", on Oi The Boat Records: "Coming Storm/Reality TV"
these two songs still embody the lament of prior songs, but are channeled through a fast, strong Oi! constructed collection of chords. "Coming Storm" is a killer track. Fast as THE KRAYS OR THE JINX, a dash of BLITZ, it could get some hardcore kids two stepping in the pit. "Reality TV" , a shorty at 3:02, is even heavier and also taps into a hardcore foundation. This is a bruiser that addresses this nation's asinine obsession with displacing one's dreams and the following, inevitable disillusionment. With a blaring rock and roll solo, the driving sound of this song stirs up quite a fury. This is Who We Are 10" Longshot/Contra
NOI!SE venture to qualify this release as a "departure from (their) darker, more vitriolic overtones". And while a song like "Brothers in Arms" has the back beat bounce of THE MUGGERS or THE BODIES, its chorus and the opener "Living for Today" still conjure up every skipped opportunity that i regret in my life. "Brothers in Arms", while an affirmation of fraternity, still prods my memories of brothers who have moved away. "Warrior Down" comes in with pogo friendly, drunken cheers. The blend of rock and roll tones and punk bounce is executed expertly. This manifests a sound that made THE BLOODLINE so classic. NOI!SE lends their hand to a cover of COCK SPARRER's "Take 'em All"; in a gritty gruff vocal delivery accompanying a sound with just the right balance of adherence to the original spiced up with a truly NOI!SE feel. "This is Who We Are" continues a beckoning for greater things. And when your pining for a better world is so clearly cultivated from discontent and resentment in the present society, the NOI!SE sound and message will undoubtedly invigorate; while creating a chasm the can only be filled with whiskey, beer and a sense of loss. these songs, all but the first, come in at under 3:00m. The snare pounds away like the hammering metronome of your boss' bitching. They are punk songs from the left side of our country, recalling the glorious ninth, err nine-ties. PRESSURE POINT, WHISKEY REBELS, THE REDUCERS; the height of TKO and GMM are clearly an easy reference. But NOI!SE bring much more to table. I bring up the west coast factor to hone in on the irrefutable impact that punk like early SOCIAL DISTORTION, BAD RELIGION, and AGENT ORANGE must have had. I wouldn't listen to a song like "TIWWA" and think "oh, is that a lost Suffer track?" But the approach to song writing; the ability to be loose and dirty with some guitar chords while carrying a melody is an approach that more boot boys need. While i know a lot of purists have disdain for the final PATRIOT album, Tim Armstrong finger prints and all; i argue that even the most adamant of detractors would have to concede that its writing is a generation of maturity and perspective from the early PATRIOT recordings. If people want to stay constrained in the mid-tempo prison of late 80s US OI!, let them. But NOI!SE don't even tread closely. I mean, PATRIOT has like 5 songs about drinking on that album. and they all sound like fresh, new songs. They are not mere songs, but poetic odes to our shared vice and its consequences and victories. you can rehash topics, just do not be boring. NOI!SE bring a sound and an earnest demand to their sound. It fits in well with what I deem the Old Guy sound (ReVilers, Wretched Ones, Tommy & The Terrors, The Cliches, The Templars, and the sound's holy trinity: Superyob, Evil Conduct, On File). Walk Beside Us 7" Longshot/Contra
These songs hold a simpler approach; but remain catchy as hell. They hold the same formula, just not as developed yet. 2009, first recordings. nix that. "Pushing On" clearly holds its merits as well as any of the newer things. Somber? check. Frenzied bass over a structured snare? check. Rocking solo? check. good stuff. 3 shorter 2 minute songs. "Blame" comes faster, heavier, and angrier. SO while i feel NOI!SE has an established sound, they certainly explore all the areas with in those parameters. It is like saying you are holding your fist still. but in that fist is a snake struggling to get free. "Reason Why" is a triumphant tune that i would play if i ever felt that i accomplished something of note. Upbeat(?), dominating riff with a pushing feeling that renders you proud just to be within ear shot.
The production on this release is commanding. Flawless. Each track is mixed perfectly. All instruments represent their purpose in the full scope of the band's sound. The added gang vocals and the singing - wrought with fervent sentiment - enhance what is excellent punk song writing. i find everything i want in punk in NOI!SE.
* to sum up the production, the song writing, the execution; and the emotions with which they are presented and the emotions that they will extract from your cold heart... i refer to the fitting "All He Ever Wanted" by Adolf & The Piss Artists (since that track was produced by Adam as well). the song covers an issue often visited by Oi! bands, but the lyrics are from a matured perspective; a well pondered aspect and smarter stand point. Place those lyrics over the taut, pensive frustration of the music and you have an unrelenting experience. Take that and play it in double time, and it will render song by NOI!SE.
FFO:
THE BLOODLINE, SYDNEY DUCKS, BAD RELIGION, MARCHING ORDERS, ANTI-HEROS, EVIL CONDUCT, SOCIAL DISTORTION; THE MISFITS; SOCIAL COMBAT; THE STAGGERS
LINKS:
Pirates Press Store
Myspace
the FB
Pushing on CD at RevHQ
CD, Vinyl, and Gear at interpunk!
Adam Gonsalves...including podcasts on sound engineering
Adam @ Telegraph Engineering
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