Music & Stuff

I write about music. And stuff!

[jamietalksmusic]

¡¡TOP 15 ALBUMS OF 2018

My 15 Fav Albums of 2018 – In No Particular Order!

1. Hot Mulligan – Pilot - Pop Punk meets midwest emo. Dope guitar riffs, catchy choruses, these guys do it all.

2. Hooded Menace – Ossuarium Silhouettes Unhallowed - Doomy sludgey death metal of the best sort.

3. Green Death - Hallowmass - Vintage thrash metal revitalized with hints of doom and death.

4. Antarctigo Vespucci – Love in the Time of Email - Indie power pop with relatable lyrics and fun instrumentation.

5. Jeff Rosenstock – POST - A bundle of emotional chaos that makes you want to mosh to depressing lyrics.

6. We Are the Union – Self Care - Pop Punk/Ska Punk. 'Nuff Said

7. Helion Prime – Terror of the Cybernetic Space Monster - Epic space themed power metal.

8. The Brokedowns – Sick of Space - Pop Punks weird drunk cousin. Funny, angry, heavy, melodic.

9. The Cardboard Swords – Once More, There is Nothing Left to Figure Out - Midwest Emo for sad bois. Mainly here for the shimmer-y guitar parts and the shout along choruses.

10. Tiny Moving Parts – Swell (AOTY) - Can't stop listening. Tempo changes, virtuosic guitar parts, WICKED FUN SHOUT ALONGS. Weirdest mosh pit I've been in.

11. Elway – For the Sake of the Bit - Aging Midwest Punkers, can still party, but you can tell they feel it in the morning.

12. Sleep – The Sciences - Epic. Doom. Metal. 8 tracks 53 minutes, so there's no 20 minute long marathon tracks. Which I like.

13. Retirement Party – Somewhat Literate - More midwest emo type. With a little more punk sprinkled in. Really quite fun to jam to.

14. Bad Moves - Tell No One - Slick indie power pop punk. Really a fantastic band.

15. CZARFACE & MF Doom – Czarface Meets Metalface - Inspectah Deck of Wu-Tang + 7L & Esoteric + MF Doom = Boombap goodness. Bump this while driving.

So there's that. Looking forward to 2019's music!

[jamietalksmusic]

Jeff Rosenstock - Worry

Finally! Death Rosenstock has a new album!! In the words of Peggy carter "it's been so long..." So on Worry, we find Raisinstock and Friends releasing their finest record to date. Production-wise, arrangement-wise, musicianship-wise, and lyrically, this is their best album thus far. And at 37 minutes with 17 songs it's short and sweet. The band consists of Keff Rosenblock on lead vocals and guitar and keyboards and sax John DeDomenici on bass Kevin Higuchi on drums and backing vocals Mike Huguenor on lead guitar and backing vocals. Lyrically this album is a lot more politically charged than last years "We Cool?" Meaning that there's about two references to the current climes. The rest deals with anxiety, nostalgia, and depression. But delivered as only Jethro Senclock can: in up beat songs that make you either want to shout along to or weep along to... depending on how your feeling when you hear them. The album opens with We Begged 2 Explore which is about as good as intro songs get, piano, crescendos, the whole deal. Then the first half of the album are mostly self contained songs with a couple "segue" tracks in between. One of the stands out is "Staring out the Window at your Old Apartment" which is on the slower side, but... features a god damn Melotron! Which is one of those old school analogue keyboards from the 60s/70s. It is featured on other tracks but is most prominent on this one. Moving on.. the middle of the album is marked by the stellar "I Did Something Weird Last Night" which is, i think, my favorite song on the album. then the last half of the album is basically 7 songs who all flow into the next one, which is really fun. That being said most of them are just over a minute long. In the end, Worry is Jeff Rosenstocks most complete Offering yet, BTMI and ASOB included. It's a blend of indie/power pop/punk/and even a ska song. Which was much appreciated. So go out and buy it. Or don't. 10/10 pizza slices -written on my iPhone

[jamietalksmusic]

What is dead cannot truly die

Comin back kiddos Hashbrowndontcallitacomeback

[jamietalksmusic]

Another List! Favorite Guitarists!

1. Jimi Hendrix 2. Jade Puget 3. Jeff Rosenstock 4. Tomas Kalnoky 5. Omar Rodriguez Lopez 6. Noodles 7. John Lee Hooker 8. Robert Johnson 9. Scottie Moore 10. Wes Montgomery This isn't a list of who I think is the best. It's a list of who I like the most/influences my own playing style the most.

[jamietalksmusic]

!! FAV ALBUMS OF 2015 !1!

1. We Cool? - Jeff Rosenstock      Jeff Rosenshock’s first official solo album is a pop-punk-indie masterpiece. Frentic, frantic, but with heart and emotion. And I haven’t stopped listening since it dropped in January. 10/10

2. No Closer to Heaven - The Wonder Years    Need I say anymore? TWY newest record is their best to date.

3. Manufacturing Evil - Green Death    The boys from Des Moines have done it again. Bringing that old school thrash vibe with newer sensibilities.

4. Every Hero Needs a Villian - Czarface    The collab between Wu-Tang’s Inspectah Deck and Boston’s 7L & Esoteric is killer. A fun album that’s mostly punchlines and no social commentary. But the rhymes (and beats) are good enough that it doesn’t matter.

5. Four Year Strong - Four Year Strong    It is what it says it is. FYS’ self titled album is the sum of their entire existence. Melding the funky riffs from the first album with the angular hardcore of the second, and the forgettable modern rock of the third.

6. Mable - Spraynard     A good solid pop-punk album.

7. Cocksure - Laura Stevenson     A headstrong (or maybe the other way around) album from one of Jeff Rosenflock’s old BTMI! mates. A far cry from the mostly acoustic first album, and even from the mostly clean electric guitar second and 3rd album. This is a power-pop-indie-punk album. And its fantastic.

8. New Love - Allison Weiss     Basically an 80′s synth-pop album mixed with indie pop. A great summer listen.

9. Leavin’ La Vida Loca - Antarctigo Vespucci      The collab between Jeff Rosenbach and Chris Farren is an awesome indie-punk-surfish-rock album. Expanding upon the previous EP’s I’m excited to see where they go from here.

10. Life’s Not Out to Get You - Neck Deep      More Pop-Punk that’s good and doesn’t sound exactly like everyone else! (seriously, they’re good)

11. Brighter Days - Binary Heart     Another of Meth Rosenstalks former band members has a punk band now! and they’re good!

12. Copacetic - Knuckle Puck    Pop-Punk in the vein of Real Friends but different. Give em a listen. And you’ll see what I mean.

13. Story So Far - Story So Far      Surprised to see them so far down on the list? Be happy they made it! Not my favorite band, but one of my favorite albums..

14. Better Whenever - Elway    A straight up punk rock album. About getting older and having to deal with it. Great for aging punks who like sipping whiskey.

15. WU-TANG By which I mean Meth Lab - Method Man Twelve Reasons to Die II - Ghostface Killah Fly International Luxurious Art - Raekwon While I don’t like these as much as the aforementioned Czarface. They are solid albums, bringing back that old school New York style.

[jamietalksmusic]

Modern Baseball - The Perfect Cast EP

So!

Modern baseballs new EP somehow slipped by me! But no longer!

It starts off with a rollicking rocker in “The Waterboy Returns" picking up from where the last album “You’re Gonna Miss It All” left off.

The band sounds just as good as ever. Keeping with their established sound, but with even more energy.

Track 2 “Alpha Kappa Fall of Troy the Movie, Pt. Deux (2 Disc Director’s Cut)” status off with a jittery guitar and bass. And we find the singer singing lower and longer than ever before. But keeping the high harmonies over it, it never feels droning. And the drummer gets in on the background vocals providing some needed gruffness to the track.

Lyrically, the band doesn’t waver from what they know. Production-wise the EP sounds better than last album.

Track 3 “Infinity Exposed” continues with this new direction. It’s a bit harder, and louder than previous songs have been. And it sounds like the band is exploring the punk/alt rock side of things. But they don’t lose their signature sound.

Track 4 “The Thrash Particle” is back to the basic Modern Baseball formula that we have come to know and love. Self referential lyrics about old friendships brought up by drinking too much. Accompanied by intertwining clean guitar melodies over distorted chords. I can dig that.

Track 5 “…And Beyond” offers similar fare. Albeit a little slower. And with the cutesy “mess up” of coming in a couple beats early. Seriously it’s cute.

Ending track “Revenge of the Nameless Ranger” is a great ending song. Perfectly getting across what the band wants to.

I’m excited to see which direction the band goes from here. And based on these 6 tracks, any way they choose will be enjoyable.

It’s hard to rate an EP so 8/10

[jamietalksmusic]

Laura Stevenson - Cocksure

So, I found out about Laura Stevenson (and her band, the Cans) from Jeff Rosenstock’s website/label quoteunquote.

In the past she has presented as a kind of folk-indie-singer/songwriter who is lumped in with the punks.

This album finds her and the band cranking up the distortion and flexing their rock muscles. The change on some songs is so unexpected that it might be (poorly) compared to Dylan going electric.

And with 11 songs and clocking in at a little over a half hour the album is almost a breeze to listen to.

Lead singles, "Torch Song" and "Jellyfish" are the shining examples of the territory the band is exploring. Upbeat, distorted guitars, driving drums. I like.

But that doesn't mean the classic atmospheric indie-folk songs are completely discarded. Indeed, almost as a reassurance to older fans, Track 4 "Ticker Tape" is a perfect example of their tried and true formula.

As a long time listener, this new faster paced sound is a big change up. And it works better on some songs than others, track 5 "Emily in Half" being a standout.

Track 7 "Happier Etc." is as close to a punk song as they've had since "The Dog/Landslide song" and it's definitely going on several playlists.

The closing song "Tom Sawyer/You Know Where You Can Find Me" is the longest song at over 6 minutes. And is almost the quintessential Laura Stevenson song. And is a great way to close out the album.

Musically speaking, the band sounds tight as ever. Honestly the Cans might be one of the best sounding bands out there.

And as ever most of the focus is on Stevenson's shimmering, sometimes piercing (in a good way) vocals. But she also is using her lower register more than she has in the past, to great effect. And with that vocal focus comes the necessary lyrical content, which as always is poignant and personal. Production wise, this is the bands best sounding album yet. Even beating out Runner from 2013. A good, well produced, polished, but not artificial record.

Honestly it's the best album by this band to date. There's not much more to say.

9/10 for fans of Jeff Rosenstock, Allison Weiss, Joyce Manor, etc.

(idk their kind of hard to categorize, just give em a try!)

[jamietalksmusic]

Wonder Years - No Closer to Heaven

It’s impossible for me to give an impartial review to my favorite band.  But I will try (no I won’t)

For the Wonder Year’s 5th offering, we find the boys at the height of their creativity. If there was a pop-punk band capable of breaking the mold and actually evolving the genre, the Wonder Years are the band to do it. With gigantic sing-alongs and huge hooks and soaring melodies, there’s nothing about this album that’s small. Musically, the guitarists keep improving with each album, and this is no exception, the interplay is just amazing (i hate to be hyperbolic, but it’s true). Mike Kennedy might just be one of the best drummers of the genre, and the bassist holds it all down. Soupy is it at the top of his game, coming off his folky side project Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties (which is one of the best band names i’ve heard) adds some new singing skills to his repertoire. And the production is stellar, I’m not quite sure who’s behind the boards, but they let the bands energy come through, while delivering a polished (but not too shiny) product. At 13 songs and 45 minutes, it is in that Goldilocks zone of long enough to satisfy with out overstaying it’s welcome. Which, as good as this album is, the sheer emotional weight would wear the average listener out if it even continued for another 15 minutes.

Honestly you shouldn’t be allowed to listen to this album if you’re not blasting it. While Soupy has always been a master of conveying emotions through, not just his lyrics, but his voice as well, the band here just brings an emotional heaviness that really brings the listener into their heads and binds with whatever baggage the listener brings.But even with all the heaviness, there is still a feeling of hope, and looking forward. And you know the concerts are going to be a good time.

So we start off with the refrain that will continue throughout the album, “We’re not saviors if we can’t save our brothers”

CARDINALS IS SUCH A FUCKING GOOD SONG!

Excuse me, so the intro song “Brothers &” serves as..well... an intro, which segues into the lead single “Cardinals” which is the standout track, and quite possibly the best pop-punk song of 2015. Another good segue is from track 4 “I Don’t Like Who I Was Then” to track 5 “Cigarettes & Saints”. They go from blistering energy to one of the saddest songs that they’ve ever written. Which starts of slow, but slowly builds its way to a powerful chorus.

Continuing on the tradition of having a guest vocalist, Jason Butler of letlive. who shows up for the end of track 9 “Stained Glass Ceilings”. I see how he fits, but for some reason it sounds like they cut and pasted his vocals over the mix, so it doesn’t perfectly meld, but its the thought that counts. Honestly, his spot might be my one complaint. I still think Laura Stevenson (I’ll be reviewing her new album when it comes out Oct 30) has the best guest vocal spot on “Devil In My Bloodstream” on the Greatest Generation.

While the Wonder Years have had a history of closing out the albums with an epic ending song (See “I Just Want to Sell Out My Funeral” on Greatest Generation) here we find them ending with an acoustic song in the title track “No Closer to Heaven”. Usually, acoustic songs on a pop-punk album are a complete turn off for me, but this works. It kind of sounds like Brand New to be honest. But it’s a good way to close out the album.

There’s not much more to say except to quote Soupy about the album, “We want to make something new. We just tried to push out in every  direction. It's a little bit softer, it's a little bit louder, it's a  little bit faster, it's a little bit slower. It moves out every way.” And that they accomplished.

10/10 for fans of Real Friends, Fireworks, Story So Far, etc...

[jamietalksmusic]

Knuckle Puck - Copacetic

So Knuckle Puck I found after learning about Real Friends. And these two bands have a very similar sound. Yelped pop punk that never really crosses over into the screamed side.Knuckle Puck had released a couple of EP’s and singles but never (to my knowledge) a full album. So here we find them debuting with Copacetic, which is 11 songs long and about 41 minutes.

Previously, they weren’t my favorite band, their songs seemed a bit too depressing and slow, and even the faster paced ones couldn’t compete with the likes of the Wonder Years (who could?) or Me Vs Hero. But on this album they seem to have found a way to make introspective/depressing songs that are still fun to listen to. Which is what I’m all about.

Production-wise it seems a bit tinny, but it’s not enough to detract from the album’s quality. And the drums are wicked in your face. But to each their own. (i’m picky with how cymbals sound)As a band, it seems like the guys have an idea of who they are and what the want to do, even if it’s not cemented yet. Vocally, Joe Taylor has always had one of the stronger voices in the genre and it’s no different here. Lyrically, the content is a lot of the genre-standard reflection and introspection, but there is a sense of looking forward and hope. Instrumentally, its the same old Knuckle Puck, with distorted chords and clean melody lines intertwined during verses and full throttle during the chorus. And there is some filler, that surprise, comes around the middle stretch. But even those songs aren’t bad, just generic. So nothing on the album is unexpected, but it does sound like they, at times, are stretching and finding a way to expand. Honestly, this album just makes me all the more excited for the next one.

If you know me, you know I’m not one for slow songs. But on this album they work. Probably because they’re not the usual acoustic fare. Rather they sound a lot (a lot a lot) like Real Friends’ slow songs. Which isn’t a bad thing in itself, but I feel like they can find their own sound and spot in this section of the genre. Hey! speaking of Real Friends, Danny boy makes an appearance on track 6 “Evergreen”, which is incidentally (or coincidentally) one of the better tracks on the album. Another highlight is track 10 “Pretense” mostly for the guitar work on that track. Well done gents.

The ending track “Untitled” which is by far the longest at 7:51 minutes is definitely the most interesting track on the album. It brings to mind early 2000’s emo. In a good way. The repeated line “I’m saying everything is copacetic” (that’s the name of the album!) serves kind of the same purpose as “I’m not sad anymore” on the Wonder Year’s “The Upsides” acknowledging the sadness and weight of the world, but not letting it win, and learning to be fine with yourself and your flaws. The tail end of the song turns into an acoustic guitar, keyboard, and filtered drum sort of extended outro, which is actually kind of a nice sounding way to end the album.

Again, these guys aren’t my favorite group (but I like ‘em), but if this album is an indication of the direction they’re headed, then they could get there.

7.5/10 for fans of Real Friends, Me Vs Hero, Wonder Years, etc...

[jamietalksmusic]

Elway - Better Whenever

Elway is one of those bands that came up in the ol’ itunes suggestion bar. Along the lines of Lawrence Arms and The Menzingers. Midwest punk rock. Their last album, “One Flew West” seemed like it was going to be their “serious” album. By which I mean it seems like these punk bands are getting older and putting out albums that aren’t necessarily concept albums. But pretty damn close. Maybe you understand what I’m saying, maybe you don’t. The point is. If the last album was the “good one” then this could be their best one.At around 30-40 minutes with 10 songs, its the perfect length for a punk album.

Musically, the band is at the point where they know exactly who they are and what they want to do.The album starts off with a choir singing some song that I know I know, but I can’t remember what its called. That immediately turns into distorted guitars  and the whole shebang that sets the scene for what’s to come.

Which is mid to fast tempo punk rock written by older punks for older punks. I can’t really see younger kids relating to some of the lyrics (but hey, ya never know). Which I’m not gonna share, you’re just gonna have to listen.

I wouldn’t say the album contains anything ground breaking, but it’s got fun drum parts, driving guitars, great sing-along (shout-along) opportunities, goes great with black coffee and Marlboro Reds.

There’s not really much more to say about it except, if you enjoyed punk rock in your younger years and think you’re past it. Give this album a spin and see if you can’t get back in. And if you still enjoy punk rock. Then give this album a spin and roll down your windows or while you’re cleaning the apartment. That’s what I’ll be doing.

8/10 for fans of Lawrence Arms, Menzingers, Lagwagon, Banner Pilot, Red City Radio, etc.

[jamietalksmusic]

Allison Weiss - New Love

So, I’m not really sure how I found out about Allison Weiss…

But I’m glad that I did. I got her first album back in 2013 and it was a kind of pop-punk/indie/folk/power-pop type of thing.This year she has released “New Love”. Which is essentially a pop-album. But not a modern pop album. No, this particular album recalls a bygone era: the 80’s.The instrumentation is the usual guitar/bass/drum combo, and the expected keyboards are there as well. But accompanying them now is a heavy synth-presence. I guess what I’m saying is this is an 80’s synth-pop album.And I ain’t mad at that.Clocking in at around 38 minutes with 11 songs, it’s a good breezy listen. The album’s production is handled by Forest Kline of Hellogoodbye. So that’s probably where some of the synth influence comes from. But Ms. Weiss’ songwriting is as strong as ever, with nary a weak song on the album. The band sounds just as tight as they always have, perfectly complimenting the vocals without taking the focus away.Musically, the album is quite upbeat, gets your head bobbing, and puts a smile on your face. However, as with many of my favorite artists, the happy music belies darker lyrics. The intro song “The Sound” contains lyrics that would’ve been all over my AIM buddy profile (how did I remember what that was called?)

“…And I like to hurt, because I like the sound,  I like the sound”

But  that’s not to say the lyrics lack optimism. Lead single “Golden Coast” and the following track “Back to Me” are just little synthy bubbles of joy. Seriously, listen and try not to sing along/bob your head/smile.However, as with most albums there is the mid-album lull, namely track 7 “Out of this Alive” which isn’t as bad as some of those slow songs, I think mostly because its not just an acoustic track, it features the whole band and atmospheric synths, but the refrain “ I won’t make it out of this alive” do go on a bit long. Luckily the pace picks right back up for track 8 “Over You”And track 9 “Motorbike” is a pop-punk gem. Probably the most upbeat song on the album, and the one you can see your self singing along to while driving with the windows down, cares be damned.

“I wanna ride my motorbike  I wanna ride my motor bike all summer long  all summer long.”

The title track “New Love” is a continuation of the synth pop, which isn’t really a surprise. And the closing track “The Same” is a stripped down acoustic song, which after a verse or two brings in the band.  Which (according to me) is one of the two legitimate ways to close out an album.

So, if you’re looking for variety on an album, then this is not the one for you. But if you wanna get your 80’s groove thang on for 40 minutes, then I can hardly think of a better album.9/10

[jamietalksmusic]

Spraynard - Mable

So, I found Spraynard because some band on facebook (I don't remember who) posted something about a compilation album being released on itunes, and I liked who ever it was who posted so I decided to check 'em out.

Turns out Spraynard is pop-punk, but not in the EZ-core/happyhardcore/FYS way.

Anywho, they came out with a new album, Mable, which I purchased, and am now writing about...

Clocking in at 28:08 with 10 songs, its an easy listening album, and when it's over you just want more (at least I want more).

Since their last outing, Spraynard has improved their musician-ship, and the singer has vastly improved his vocal abilities.

Lyrically, instead of being party ready songs, they bring some of the same flavor that bands like Modern Baseball and Joyce Manor do. What I mean is they sing about being awkward, feeling out of place, etc. But they combine slightly depressing lyrics with fun as hell instruments, so in the end you feel happier than you should shouting along to:

"I am every person you've ever ignored,

I am the flaming bag of dog shit on your front porch"

Production wise, it sounds like the boys have finally secured a big name producer and recorded in a big time studio (or at least not their bedroom/basement/garage).  So the album comes off with a more refined sound without being too shiny. And the fun part of the basement vibe still pokes through.

There's not actually a bad song on the album, but some are less memorable than others, and in fact the middle chunk of the album can blend together, but again, since they are all decent songs it's not so bad.The only track that I don't care much for is track 9. Out of Body, which is the longest song on the album at 5:16 and is also the slowest. Luckily it isn't an acoustic song, but it is long and has droning guitars, but the drums and vocals save it from being on the "skip list".

Stand out tracks include

1. Applebee's Bar

5. Everywhere

6. Bench

8. Lost Boys

10. Home

All in all it's a fun pop-punk album that leans more towards the punk side. For fans of Modern Baseball, Joyce Manor, the Descendents, and the Hotelier

7.5/10

[jamietalksmusic]

Neck Deep - Life’s Not Out to Get You

So, Welsh pop-punkers Neck Deep strike back with Life’s Not Out to Get You, which finds them bringing back some of the roughness present on their first album, and mixing in the polished sound of the stellar sophomore album Wishful Thinking.

At 36:17 with 12 songs it’s a breeze to listen to. Perfect for a party, driving, just jammin on your headphones, or however else humans listen to music.

While not exactly breaking new ground in a tightly defined genre, Neck Deep does stretch their songwriting muscles, and flex their ever growing musicianship.

It sounds like singer Ben Barlow has been working on his chops since the last album and comes across more powerful than ever, yet remaining clear and controlled.

There are of course songs about hometowns, girls, football, and beer. But there are some more wistful moments, yet the band never loses sight of the fun and energy that’s inherent in their chosen genre.

A lot of other reviews say that Neck Deep resembles some of the 90’s early 00’s titans such as Sum-41 and Blink-182, and I have to concur.

It’s like they went back to their roots to grow their sound further.

Honestly, there’s not really a bad track on here, some are just less memorable than others. But at the same time the more memorable ones fade as the album goes on. But again, the rest are so listenable that it doesn’t really matter.

I know I just said there are no bad tracks, but there a couple… problematic tracks, namely track 7 “Serpents” while a great track on its own, messes up the flow of the album, instead of sounding like Sum-41 they sound like A Day To Remember with out all the growls/screaming. Which again, would be great on it’s own, or an album of like material, but here on this particular album, it just feels out of place.

And remember how I said there were just out of place tracks?

WRONG

Track 9 “December” provides the seemingly obligatory acoustic sappy  number. Usually these are mercifully short, but this track clocks in at 3:39 and is actually the longest track on the album, and let me tell you, it feels like it! blah blah “so many things i should have said”. Don’t these people know you can have sad/depressed/insightful/wistful/pining lyrics and still have fun music?

Now that I’m done ranting, the pace picks up again for “Smooth Seas Don’t Make Good Sailors” which, instead of bringing back the 90’s vibe, it sounds like a refugee from the first wave of “EZ-core/happy-hardcore/whateverFourYearStrongiscategorizedas”

The closing song “Rock Bottom” starts of with one of the coolest bass riffs I’ve heard in a while, and has a huge sing along value that every album closer should have.

All in all this album is a fun listen, and shows the band growing into their own, and if they continue on this trajectory, the next album will blow this one out of the water.

8/10

P.S. - remember when i said that they sometimes sound like ADTR? turns out the ADTR front man is the producer, and guests on track 4 “Kali Ma”

[jamietalksmusic]

Joyce Manor - Never Hungover Again

So, I found Joyce Manor in that little "suggestions" thing in the Itunes store. So I thought  I would give them a try.

And I did.

Turns out they make mid-tempo pop-punk-indie of the first order.

The album doesn't even crack 20 minutes with 10 songs. So they are short and to the point.

The production is what you would expect from a mid-tempo-pop-punk-indie band who makes 1:30 minute long songs. And it works perfectly for them.

Honestly, the album took awhile to grow on me, the only original standouts for me were track 4 "Victoria" and the saccharine track 6 "Heart Tattoo". And those are two of the fastest songs on the album. But after throwing the album on a couple playlists I found that whenever they came on I found myself pushing the rewind button. And found the melodies and lyrics lingering in my head after I had stopped listening. And isn't that the goal of most musicians?

Joyce Manor is (courtesy of wikipedia):

Barry Johnson - vocals, guitar

Matt Ebert - bass, vocals

Chase Knobbe - guitar

Kurt Walcher - drums

While I'm not familiar with the band's earlier output, this record sounds like a band who knows what they are doing, who they are, and where they are going. And if this record is any indication, I think they are going to go far.

So there's not much more to say, except if you like indie-pop-punk like Modern Baseball, Jeff Rosenstock, The Hotelier, and others, then you might like this, and who knows you could dig the mid-tempo jams more than me!

7.5/10

[jamietalksmusic]

Coming soon! Activity!

Don't worry kiddies. A flurry of frenetically fielded files will be flying your way fairly soon. Wonder years! Snoop dogg! Joyce manor! Others!Others!!Others!!!

[jamietalksmusic]

CZARFACE - Every Hero Needs a Villain

So here we go. First hip-hop review! Gonna be a bit short...

I found this album when I was perusing Itunes and saw the album art.

Yeah it looks pretty kickass.

So I got it after previewing some of the songs.

Turns out CZARFACE is a collab between Inspectah Deck from the Wu-Tang Clan and underground Boston duo 7L&Esoteric .

The album is a fun one clocking in at 55:10 with 17 tracks. It features nods to RZA's early production styles with soul samples, but 7L brings his own flavor and style.

Deck is his usual self bringing that Wu-Tang style. Esoteric is no slouch and can go toe to toe with Wu-Tang's (arguably) best MC.

Lyrically it's mostly punchlines revolving around pop-culture and comic books (obviously). There isn't much of a social message and no deep meanings, but who cares because the lines and rhymes are so good, and the flow can't be beat!

Featuring a host of guest MC's:

Method Man

Large Professor

Juju

GZA

MF DOOM

Meyhem Lauren

R.A. the Rugged Man

The album contains almost everything you'd want in a hip-hop album. Funky beats, big name guests, tight rhymes, and unstoppable flow.

And honestly there isn't a bad track on it. Even after listening to the nearly hour long album, I find my self playing it again.

Deck and Esoteric are on point on this album, some of the sharpest lines I've heard are included on this album, and if I was a better review I'd show you. But I'm not. So get the album, or preview some songs on youtube or whatever the kids are using.

9/10If you like Wu-Tang,  MF DOOM, or hip-hop in general check it out.

[jamietalksmusic]

Chewing On Tinfoil - Marrowbone Lane

Let's jump into it.

Chewing on Tinfoil, otherwise known as my favorite Irish ska band, released this album sometime in 2013. I had first heard about this band sometime in 2009 when I discovered their first album on Jeff Rosenstocks' QuoteUnquote Records website. And it was instantly a hit (with me).

This album however finds them shedding their ska roots to make more a straight up punk rock album.

At almost exactly 41 minutes with 12 songs it satisfies the listener without overstaying its welcome.

The album's sound, as I said contains almost none of the ska roots, but   instead weaves in between straight Punk, some indie rock, and some   twangy folk sounds. All coming together to make a really great album.

Vocally the band has grown and can pull off harmonies really well, and the Dublin accent just adds to the charm.

Melodically, the lads have a knack for creating hard hitting yet catchy and memorable songs.

Nearly every song is an anthem, with great sing-along potential.

The  production on this album is a great improvement over the previous   release "Get Rich or Try Dyin'" which, despite the strengths of it's   tracks, sounded amateurish. Marrowbone Lane sounds like a pro production.  Keeping the balance of the vocals, guitars, bass, and drums, each  having their own space in the mix without crowding anyone out.

The album kicks off with the punk rocker "Fuck Team Sports" which sets the pace of the album, which is on the upper side of mid-tempo.

On track 3 "Just Like Me" we get a guest appearance by none other than Stza Crack of Leftover Crack/Choking Victim fame (infamy?).

Even one of the slower/quieter songs "Let Me Let You Down" isn't so much of a drag. It has a fun folky guitar, and turns into sort of a (quiet) folk-rocker and picks up the pace midway through the song.

The flow of the album is nice too, it starts with the punk anthems in the beginning and by track 8 the energy hasn't faded, but has turned more folk-y (track 9 "Sons & Mothers" features a harmonica!), further demonstrating the band's change in direction.

Track 10 brings back the punk energy with the faster paced "Thick & Thicker" which is sure to get the pit moving.

Which is good because the next track, "Cutting Room Floor" is the one weak song, and even this song isn't so bad. It's the second track that has a ska feel to it, albeit a slower ska feel. But when its not upstrokes the guitars do the kind of mid/slow-tempo droning that puts me to sleep. And at nearly 5 minutes long, it is the longest song on the album, and definitely feels that way. But I'm sure there are people who can dig this type of song. It's just not my cup o' tea.

But it's OK! Because the last song "Marrowbone Lane" is one hell of a closer. Putting together all the elements of the album, the folkyness, the punkyness, and the Irishness to make a top notch song. It actually would make a real  good drinking song, as the song closes with gang-vocals singing

"I'm OK

As long as you're OK

and I say it every single day"

Seriously I can just see them ending a concert with this, stopping the instruments and just singing the last lines and the crowd singing along like one big drunken mess.

And there you have it.

There's really not much more to say other than this is a great album by a great band, and if you like punk, rock, or Ireland you will (probably) like these guys.

and one last thought, I bet these guys put on a deadly show. (did i use it right?)

9/10 lads, 9/10.

http://quoteunquoterecords.com/qur068.htm