Review It Today

A daily song review, plus other musical musings.

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The Positives and Negatives of Record Store Day

(And How to Turn the Negatives Into Positives)

I’ve been seeing a lot of Record Store Day hate lately so I want to just flesh out some thoughts and put some ideas out there. Record Store Day is an awesome experience for fans and does great things for independent record stores. At this point major labels have taken it over and the delays it creates seems to be an unavoidable evil. But by taking the spirit of the day and making more limited releases available only at record stores, I think indie labels can take a negative and turn it into a positive.

This year was the first year that I participated in Record Store Day. I went to a local store in CT called Exile on Main St. My girlfriend and I got there a bit after eight for a nine o’clock opening and were very lucky to be able to each get our own copy of the release we wanted most, Deja Entendu. As an experience, I think that Record Store Day is an awesome thing. Getting up early, waiting in line, anticipating what you’re going to get, and  (hopefully) getting it. The excitement of going to that record store is the whole point of the day. For me, this was my first time going to that store and now I know that I will definitely be making another trip very soon. The hopes are that this excitement will continue on for many of Record Store Day’s participants and lead to more people going to more record stores more often. This is a wonderful idea and I’m sure it works for a decent percentage of people. At the very least it brings a sure of traffic to the store for that one day, even if it doesn’t translate to more visitors throughout the year.

Much of the hate for Record Store Day comes now that the major labels have caught on and seen that there is profit to be made. These labels are able to press much larger quantities and pay more than the indies so of course they get priority at the pressing plants.  The problem is that there are so few pressing plants around that this greatly delays and hurts the smaller labels with less purchasing power. While the point of Record Store Day is to promote independent record stores, I don’t think that should come at the cost of hurting independent labels.

I don’t know that there is much to be done about the delays that Record Store Day causes, other than the obvious: build more pressing plants. Limiting the number of releases would lead to a less successful day and having Record Store Day more often than twice a year (including Black Friday) would make feel less special. In the end though, the goals is to make going to the record store so much fun that every day turns in to Record Store Day.

The best solution, as I see it, is to let the major labels have their Record Store Day. Let them mass-produce their novelty records and overpriced reissues. Let them do the hard work of bringing people into the record store and, hopefully, turn that into a habit. And then, as an indie label, jump on the opportunity that creates. It doesn’t have to be Record Store Day to have a release only available at a record store. Now that going to a record store is more of a habit for many people, try it out. Make a limited variant only available at record stores, do limited edition record-store-only packaging, maybe even make the repress or reissue of an album available at a record store some time before preorders ship. This will make going to the record store even more fun for fans and benefit both indie labels and record stores alike.

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Thoughts on “Sealed To Me” and more thoughts on Brand New

At their show last night Brand New premiered another new song. And it’s really good! It was Jessie playing it solo electric and the guitar tones sounded especially raw and awesome. They also reminded me of a song and it was on the tip of my tongue for a long time before I could put my finger on it. The song is “Glycerine” by Bush. And once I put that together, the words “sealed to me” when sung sound pretty similar to the way “glycerine” is sung too. Lyrically, the song is about healing and becoming better as a person, something which Jessie addressed in his pre-song speech. Especially with it being so striped down, it feels deeply personal and in contrast to many past Brand New songs that have a more confident and somewhat conceited tone to them. It’s also very different from the first new song, “Mene.” I’ve always loved Brand New’s ability to have songs that fall on every level of the spectrum and it seems their new music will be no different.

Now to talk some more about Brand New in general and what the heck is going on with them! After the first night of tour when “Mene” was played, I said to my girlfriend, “Imagine if they open with a different new song every night and play the new album all the way through.” That’s something that would totally not be out of the question for Brand New, but it obviously didn’t happen. Last night, the band was handing out lyric sheets for “Sealed To Me” with any merch purchases. Now imagine if they had done that but not played the new song! Again, not out of the zone of reason (for them), but it didn’t happen. Another possible scenario that I’m going to pull out of my ass is that they play a new song a few times, release the recorded version, and then add a new one. Will it happen? Probably not. But maybe! (But I really doubt it). They also announced a short run of relatively small rooms in the UK the other day. Wouldn’t it be crazy, but utterly Brand New-esque if they surprisingly played the full new album at these shows? Again, I don’t think it would happen, but it’s possible. 

This leads me to my bigger point. Brand New fans have jumped the friggin shark. I don’t know when or why this happened. I don’t know if it’s the band’s fault or we’re going stir crazy or what, but we’re all insane. When the Devil and God lyric books shipped I really tried not to get sucked into it, but lo and behold I totally did a few days later. I mean Deja and The Devil and God are both fucking masterpieces and monumental albums so I get being beyond stoked for the prospect of new music, but it’s still just crazy for me how ravenous fans are. I can’t think of a single other band that give me, or hundreds of other fans, such a unique reaction. And the crazy part is that I wouldn’t even consider them my favorite band! Sometimes I wish that I could go back a few years and still think that Brand New sucked and almost refuse to even give them a try lol. Little did my girlfriend know that by introducing me to them she was playing with fire. 

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Brand New - “Sealed To Me”

Brand New played another new song last night! Some thoughts in a bit, but here are the lyrics. They handed out lyric sheets with merch purchases. Hear it here (and lots more videos with a simple YouTube search). 

It’s totally worth it to watch this video and hear Jessie’s full speech before the song.

You finally caught that roadrunner, and blew him up I finally got it through my thick cranium You wake up and get dressed and then you check your pressure Are those covalent bonds still holding together?  I’m working hard at being my own MVP instead of feeling lucky just to have made the team

How you feeling? Are you healing? What’s it mean to be sealed to me?

If you want to finish, you could run your minute and make your time If you are without, well I’m full of it  so come take some of mine.

You gonna cast me away into outer darkness ‘cause I couldn’t cover rent to stay at God’s apartment? I got a shovel and even though I’ve hit pay dirt If you could be the wind then I would be a leaf Because I’m finished with these pliers Sick of pulling my teeth. Yeah.

How you feeling? Are you healing? What’s it mean to be sealed to me?

Storm on the bay We all drift away Your kingdom never comes I ain’t no chosen one

Heart stops beating float through the ceiling  Those gates won’t be sealed to me

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It’s interesting to me that Guitar Hero Live is going to be on PS 3 and Xbox 360, but Rock Band 4 isn’t. Also, Guitar Hero seems to be cutting out the full band experience. That’s appropriate for the name, but I wonder how it will work out. The live music channel seems pretty cool though. I’ll be curious to see how each does, especially compared to one another.

And only GHL on the Wii U. Hmm, seems like Harmonix is missing out on a major part of the market. 

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As December Falls - “Capture”

(New single)

           I was pleasantly surprised when I checked out As December Falls. The track, “Capture,” is extremely well refined and put together as a whole. I’ve definitely said in the past that it seems like many bands have good instrumentals, but their vocals just aren’t up to par and that is a major turn off. For some reason I was kind of expecting As December Falls to fall into that boat, but I’m glad they didn’t. The instrumentals here are somewhere on the heavier side of alternative rock. They take rock as a base then bring in some elements of pop punk, the more melodic parts of post hardcore, and some other odds and ends. This equates to a sound that feels fresh, interesting, and unpredictable. Vocally, I feel like the song is pretty darn radio friendly, but still packs a punch. The singer has a very smooth voice that sounds especially good when paired with the slightly heavier sections of instrumentals. She can definitely carry a melody and has a strong emotional intensity. There are one or two parts where a male vocal is layered in ever so slightly, which is a nice addition and sounds awesome. As December Falls isn’t exactly something I would normally pick up, but I’m really glad I did.

asdecemberfallsofficial: Facebook, Twitter, Youtube

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The HaraKiris - “Out Of Control”

(off of Yourself Betrayed)

           Knoxville hardcore/skate punk sounds pretty appealing to me – I’ll jump back into reviews with the HaraKiris. “Out Of Control” starts off with a killer riff and I can just imagine it being the prelude to a sweet circle pit. The vocals come in gruff, but with that tinge of melody that makes it more interesting to listen to than if they were just straight up shouted. The instrumentals definitely have that lofi skate punk vibe and do justice to the genre by keeping the song at a speeding pace with just the right amount of flare every now and again. Layered vocals are something I’m always into and they’re done well here, especially the harmonies during the “out of control-oo-ol.” This is a really solid and enjoyable punk track off the band’s debut album,which I’ll likely be checking the rest out of very soon. And even if your only exposure to skate punk is through the Tony Hawk games you should check it out too. 

The HaraKiris - Facebook, Twitter

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Lyrics: Brand New - “Mene”

How does everything start and end? Come gather now and lay this beast to rest I kept hearing trumpets, got my hearing checked   Your father spoke of prophecy To think that I believed is self-centered of me There was something I was trying to say But then I choked on it  And now it’s getting kind of late   We walked to the edge but we never leapt What sings to you when you disconnect?                 Written on the wall The letters plain and tall This is my own fault We don’t feel anything (x4)   I’ll still cower at eternal wrath though Don’t want my fear to become my shadow I wanna evade my thoughts, I wanna down a Kyoto   The ocean never sleeps or dreams It never stops to ponder what it sees Committed to its satellite No one can move the man  And no one’s ever gonna try   All the tides are married to the moon All I want is for my heart to be as true   Written on the wall The letters plain and tall This is my own fault We don’t feel anything   Not gone, but fading fast So let me put to rest The only question that ya left We don’t feel anything (x9)

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The Greater Musical Value of Guitar Hero and Rock Band

I haven't felt much in the mood for reviews lately, but I'll keep doing some more opinion/commentary stuff for now. Today I'm going to talk a bit about Guitar Hero and Rock Band. It was recently announced that Rock Band was going to be rebooted on the next gen systems and I think that's totally awesome for a bunch of reasons. I know these games got a lot of flack for being fake and not teaching people to actually play instruments, but I think the people who said that are just missing the point. To me these games are all about getting people into music. It's the discovery, community, and support for music that is at the core of the games, not the skill behind it. For a long time, Guitar Hero and Rock Band were the go-to party games. Any time there was a gathering the game system and instrument controllers would be dragged out. The appeal is similar to that or karaoke, but with a team. This reinforces the idea of music as a community. Underground music thrives on community. Without mainstream success the way these genres and artists are able to stay alive is through a supportive community. Whether you're talking about punks buying a band's 7" sound unheard or people going to a rave and going crazy over the latest underground dance hit it's the dedicated fans that keep the music going. Allowing people to expierence music together through these games allows them to gain a sense of community and togetherness which can then transfer into the greater music scene. Another positive effect of these games is music discovery. I found Guitsr Hero at the time in my life where I was devouring new music all the time as I transitioned from country to rock. Many of my favorite songs and bands were discovered through Guitar Hero and there are even more bands and songs that I would love to have the change to play along with. Both games have a done a great job of incorporating both everything from mainstream hits to the best of the underground. I know that Harmonix always put the songs of their developers' bands in their games. That's how I found Vagiant (since renamed Tijuana Sweetheart) who is a band I still revisit every so often today. And there are even more bands that are successful in the underground that have gain many fans and much more access through games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band. I don't know financially how the deals worked and I'm sure artists may have gotten the short end of the stick in that way. However, anything that gets music to potential listeners and lovers is a wonderful thing in my book and hopefully paid off in the end. It would be awesome if Guitar Hero and Rock Band inspired people to pick up instruments, learn to play, and bands, and I'm sure it has for many. But for even more people it has opened their eyes to the pleasure of music and to a great selection of different music. They also build a stronger musical community, which then leads to more passionate and supportive fana. Plus they're just plain fun. In the end I'm really interested to see what will be on the set list for the new Rock Band game and to see whether it'll reach anywhere near the popularity of the older ones.

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Thoughts on “Don’t Feel Anything” & Brand New in general

I want to talk about the new Brand New song, but since the only versions of it available are shitty live recordings I’m not going to call it a review, just some thoughts. First of all, it’s way faster and more energetic than I was expecting. I’m a huge fan of the subdued and cunningly clever Brand New, but I can definitely get into this too. Some of the guitar work in between phrases is especially sweet in my opinion.

Lyrically, I feel like the song is pretty dark and fucked up. My interpretation of it is that it’s basically talking about the pressures of being in a band. I can’t even imagine how immense they are to a band as massive and loved(/hated) as Brand New. I mean when Daisy came out everyone was ridiculously harsh and the whole fiasco with them playing Daisy in full on Long Island was insane. It must feel horrible to be playing your home town and meet such a harsh reaction as that. With the high regard that Deja and The Devil and God are held in, it must be so hard writing new music. It’s almost as if you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t. People will scream that they deserve new music, but shit all over you when it’s doesn’t sound the way that they want. That struggle seems to be put into words here. Whether “We don’t feel anything” refers to the fact that stye have become numb to it or the fact that people act as if they are some inanimate object without feelings, it seems like a harsh reality. It honestly makes me feel really shitty as a fan of the band that the actions of other fans, and possibly even myself, could make them feel this way. 

This song has definitely piqued my interested. I think I’ll like it a lot when a studio version is released and I’m still incredibly interested in hearing the band’s upcoming album.

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Brand New - “Don’t Feel Anything”

I’m sure everyone who cares knows that Brand New opened with a new song last night. It’s called written on the wall and you can see/hear it here, here, and here. I did my best to transcribe the lyrics (with some corrections from other people on the internet) and I think I finally have it complete. Let me know on google docs if there’s anything I have wrong. Without further adieu, here they are:

Who said, “Let’s start a band”? Look out and now I’ll lay this beast to rest Take appearance from this, I’m a nervous wreck They owe someone a prophecy I think that I believe it’s self-centered to leave There was something I was trying to say Then I choked on it and now it’s getting kind of late We walked up to the edge, but we never leapt                                             But it sings to you and you disconnect                                                   Written on the wall                                                                                     Letters plain and tall                                                                                          This is my own fault                                                                                            We don’t feel anything (x4)

I still cower at eternal wrath though You want my fear, you become my shadow You wanna bathe in New York, I wanna die in Kyoto The ocean never sleeps or dreams It never stops to ponder what it sees Committed to it’s sad life                                                                                  With the moon in command                                                                                No one’s ever gonna try

All the tides are married to the moon All I want is for my heart to be as true   Written on the wall Letters plain and tall This is my own fault We don’t feel anything

Now calm but fading fast When we put to rest The only question that ya left We don’t feel anything (x9)

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Mikki Hommel - “On The Moon”

(First single off the upcoming debut album, On The Moon)

           I am going to have to start thisreview off a little differently: with a disclaimer. I’m a member of Purebred Records, Mikki Hommel’s record label. That doesn’t mean I *have* to like the music we put out or anything though (especially since it’s a student-run label), so I don’t feel that I’ll be biased in my review.

           Mikki Hommel is definitely not the type of music I generally listen to, but I can honestly say that “On The Moon” takes the guilty pleasure I get in finding a song on the radio catchy and makes it something I’d happily admit I like (to the point that I’d write a review about it!). I say radio only because “pop” is probably the broadest of the genres that Mikki Hommel could fit into. She brings a funky, spunky, soulful energy into her music and it’s clear that she is extremely talented and even more passionate. “On The Moon” is the first single off her debut album of the same name and one of the highlights. This song is energetic and fun, while showcasing both her vocal range and smooth control. The chorus, led by a long held “whoa-oa-o-o-oo-ooa,” is extremely catchy and was stuck in my head for days after hearing it for the first time. “On The Moon” is upbeat both musically and lyrically, which is perfect for the longer, warmer days of the spring. If you need something to blast and sing along to with the windows down I strongly encourage you to give it a listen and keep your eyes peeled for the full album coming this May!

Mikki Hommel: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube

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Manners - “Legacy”

(off of Pale Blue Light)

           Today we’re gonna check out Manners, specifically their song “Legacy”. In a similar vein of bands like Touché Amoré and Defeater, Manners mixes yelled vocals with heavy instrumentals and equally heavy lyrics. This song, as well as the entire album, is extremely well refined musically. The vocal delivery is spot on, emotionally rooted, and shows a lot of control. Hardcore bands often neglect the finer aspects of music to focus on being fast and heavy, but the band juggles this well. With tempo, time, and stylistic changes, this song does not grow stale or repetitive. This doesn’t slow it down or lessen its weight though as once it starts off it doesn’t stop. “Legacy” is a lyrical strong-arm, too. “Who am I now, who was I then?/ The same person? I’m not convinced/ A decade on my own, a lifetime left to live.” The song hits on the uncertainty of how to define a person. While there are moments that stand out as defining, people are constantly changing. Who someone is and what they do in one instance can greatly change throughout their lifetime. And does it matter how they’re defined, will they even be remembered in the end? This is the deeply personal struggle at the core of this song and what makes it such a chillingly great track.

mannersct: Facebook, Twitter (Warning: Not for the arachnophobia!)

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Let’s Talk About Stage Talk

           As an avid music lover and constant concert-goer, I would have to say that one of the most important tools that musicians have but fail to use properly is stage talk. As an opening band, one of the best ways to gain new fans is to connect with the audience. Generally, many people find emotional attachments to music through lyrical content. For many people this is just as important as the sound of the music itself and can make the difference between liking a band and being a super fan. Lyrics are a powerful tool, but one that is harshly diminished in a live setting. Hearing a song live and for the first time makes it very hard to pick up on the subtleties of the words. Sometimes it is even hard to understand anything that the vocalist sings at all – even worse if the words are screamed or if there is a poor sound system. The way I see it, stage talk is the way to start new fan attachment to your band so that they will later want to dig deeper, listen to your recorded product, and fall in love with the lyrics. Yes, playing a strong set and getting people to hear your songs is necessary, but I think that stage talk is what really makes the difference.

           When I think back at all of the concerts I have gone to and all of the opening bands I have seen, very few stand out. Really, the only two that immediately pop into my head would be Into It. Over It. and Mixtapes. Out of probably hundreds of opening bands I have seen having very little idea of who they were, these are the only two that really stuck with me. And it’s really no surprise to me that their performances had one thing in common: skilled stage talk. I’m very used to bands that I have no idea of coming out and playing, hardly even mentioning their name, and then getting off stage. Into It. Over It. and Mixtapes were quite the opposites.

           When I saw Into It. Over It. open up for The Wonder Years on The GK Tour in 2012 it was Even Weiss sitting on a stool, playing his acoustic guitar, and telling personal stories. Before the show I had definitely heard of Into It. Over It. before, but never checked out the music so I didn’t know what to expect going into the show. Did I enjoy the music? Yes, without a doubt. But what I really connected to was Evan as a person. While his lyrics are incredibly personal, it is hard to view them in context while you are absorbing the music for the first time as well. But hearing him talk gives you only one thing to focus on. I instantly was able to connect the stories he was telling to him as a person and, later on, to his music. Getting a background on who he was and what he’s been through was what piqued my interest and caused me to want to download his music so I could thoroughly understand what he was all about. If he had not brought himself into the performance and simply played his pieces I think that I would have had a good time listening while he was on, but it wouldn’t have gone past that. Now I am a fan of Into It. Over It. and basically all of his other projects and I owe it all to what he said while on stage.

           The other example I have is Mixtapes. I saw them open up for Bayside on The Great American Cult Tour in 2014. I had known about them before and maybe listened to a couple songs, but would not have considered myself anywhere near a fan; I was more of a passing stranger to their music. And after the show I was still not super into them. But I was highly impressed by their presence on stage – something I (obviously) still talk about today. One thing that really stood out to me was that they brought up a story of the last time they played The Palladium. This served a twofold purpose: 1. I’m sure it was awesome for people who were there to hear their experience remembered and referenced, and 2. It showed people who were seeing them for the first time that this was a band who connected with and cared about their fans. Ultimately, the band mentioned that they had played the smaller room upstairs last time and the crowd had been sitting, which led to nearly everyone at the current concert to sit down in a cross-legged position for the next song. While I am still not a huge fan of their music that is something that I will always remember and forces me to give them a lot of respect as performers.

           These are two out of the ordinary examples that I think other bands can learn from. The major lesson here is simple: talk! And let what you say reflect who you are. Into It. Over It. and The Wonder Years have their emotionally gripping personal stories that back up their lyrics. blink-182 and Reel Big Fish have their own quirky brand of comedy, coupled with extremely energetic performances. This makes The Mark, Tom, and Travis Show and Our Live Album Is Better than Your Live Album the only two live albums that I find myself listening to on any sort of regular basis. The maybe one exception to needing to talk that I can think of is Brand New. They hardly said a word the one time I saw them, but their performance was so amazingly well done it didn’t have much of a negative effect. Even then, I did wish they had interacted with the crowd at least a bit more. Overall, I understand wanting to play as many songs as you can to get the crowd to check you out further, but I think it is important to value quality over quantity because that is what prospective fans will connect to and how they will evolve into lifetime supporters.

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Porch Light - “Far Away”

(Single)

           Porch Light is an acoustic duo out of Michigan. With sad, sloping guitars and mellow harmonies, this song reminds me a lot of The Scene Aesthetic. The Scene Aesthetic is band that I would love to hear more from so hearing these similarities is awesome to me. The guitar parts are pretty basic and mostly serve as support to the vocals. They do a good job blending in and adding some nice extra texture. The vocals throughout the song are very smooth and intertwine pleasantly. While this is the only song the band has currently, it looks like they are in the process of writing their first EP and have been posting covers to their YouTube account. I look forward to seeing what Porch Light does with an EP and I’ll be sure to let you all know what I think once it’s released.  

Porch Light: Facebook, Twitter

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The Gyro - “Heart and Soul”

(off of Naked n Xposed)

           A funk band from the UK is not something that I ever really though about reviewing, but I’m open to all kinds of music and like to review bands who follow me so here goes. “Heart and Soul” begins with a striped down intro with bass and guitar tracks that have a pleasing back and forth. As the vocals come in, the drums do too and eventually they both take the forefront while the others fall to the background. The Gyro are not a heavy funk band, which I really like. They keep things like and airy, but keep a strong, moving groove. Both the vocals and instrumentals are stylistically rhythmic and mesh together nicely. I very much enjoy the quality and tone of the vocals – you can tell the singer has a controlled talent. She doesn’t feel the need to be outright and flaunt it, which is refreshing. There is one point where the vocals are echoed by a male voice that feels a bit off to me. The final section of the song takes the form of a fast rap – I never would have seen that coming. It works though, giving a change in tempo, style, and sound to keep the audience on their feet. While not something I would normally seek out, I’m glad that The Gyro fell into my lap. They’re an interesting band and one I’m definitely going to check out further.

The Gyro - Facebook, Twitter

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Thoughts on Vinyl Represses & Reissues

           In news that everyone is aware of and constantly being beaten over the head with: there is a vinyl revival going on. Sales have skyrocketed in the past few years and they show no signs of slowing. Now, everyone who buys vinyl is trying to play catch up with their collections. This has lead to long out of print records selling for hundreds of dollars on eBay and pleas for older albums to be released for the first time on vinyl. Along come the generous record companies to repress and reissue the classic albums of the scene. However, there’s a catch – they need (and want) to make money off of this. And seeing the prices that people are willing to pay means that they can sell them for much more than what it costs to produce. Nostalgia is a great seller and special features are added on to make it all seem worth it – and sometimes it is. But things are getting a little out of hand and I think there are a few things that can be done to make vinyl represses and reissues more exciting and successful for everybody.

           Let me start off with features. Many labels, while trying to make a release either special or expensive, will add something extra to a pressing. Some of the most common ones that I see are limited variants, gatefold covers, splitting the album across two LPs, adding an etched D-side, and including bonus tracks or demos. These, and more, have all been executed with varying degrees of success. And a lot of it depends on how big a fan of the album the buyer is. Personally, unless it is one of my all time favorites or something unique and special is done, I do not care about these add-ons. I came on to the scene a bit late so many of the albums being rereleased are ones that I know, like, and would like on vinyl, but I do not have the same connection to as those who were huge fans at the time it came out. I think that those two demographics – dedicated fans and casual listeners – both have a lot of buying power, but it is normally one or the other that is better serviced.

           Pricing wise, vinyl represses and reissues can be anywhere from a $12 bare bones pressing to the $50+ super fan bundle. When an album I truly love is being put onto vinyl with amazing new features, I will not hesitate to drop down however much it takes. But when an album I like is pressed with an etched D-side and a price tag of $30 plus shipping or a basic LP from Hot Topic or a number of other places priced at $22.50, I need to save my wallet. If the same album were to be pressed on a single LP with a basic insert and priced less than $20, I would be much more likely to bite.

           This is why I propose a new model for vinyl reissues. I would like to see labels going all-out on their releases, charging whatever they need to in order to make the complete package that anyone who cherishes the album needs to own. At the same time, they would be doing a bare bones, economy pressing priced where it’s comfortable for everyone else. Maybe throw in a couple variants to add a bit of excitement to it, but keep it to a basic single LP and keep it in print for a long as there is demand. This would solve the problem of an out of print album that gets crazy eBay prices being repressed in limited quantities, selling out, and then just ending up at the same high price a little while later. I would put an end to the hemming and hawing about whether you like an album enough to drop $30 on it and ultimately deciding not to. And, I believe, it would lead to even more sales and more money made by the label.

           An example of upper tier packaging that works would be like the Shop Radio Cast pressing of blink-182’s Take Off Your Pants and Jacket. The packaging for that is one-of-a-kind and the foreword from Mark Hoppus that came with the first pressing really made it a special for fan of the band. I’m one of those fans and that’s why I jumped at the opportunity to purchase it, with a $50 price tag, even after I had already shelled out $60 for it to Mightier Than Sword (never to be seen again). That means I paid $110 for my copy of Take Off Your Pants and Jacket on vinyl. It sounds insane for me to say it, but I don’t regret it. That’s because it’s the right album and the right bundle to make it all seem worth it in my eyes. Shop Radio Cast has also done a great job keeping this in print and has sold out four pressings. There have also been three big number basic single LP pressings of this album from Hot Topic, which have all sold out as well.

           On the other side, there is The Starting Line’s Say It Like You Mean It. Shop Radio Cast also handled the recent repress, but I feel like it could have definitely gone better. Personally, this is an album I enjoy and would like to have on vinyl, but do not see it as essential to my collection. The record was a double LP and priced at $30. The features that Shop Radio Cast highlighted were a gatefold cover, etched D-side, and a couple bonus tracks. To me, gatefolds and etchings are usually the most basic of special features and don’t show the passion I like to see when a label puts a record out. The thing that jumped out at me most was that it was mastered specially for vinyl, and I’m sure I would love having the bonus tracks if I was a bigger fan. I honestly hemmed and hawed for a long time about whether to buy it or not and in the end I decided against it. It seems to me like many people were also on the fence and fell the same way I did. The original pressing has long been sought after on eBay and there were countless cries for a repressing. Shop Radio Cast did sell out their original run of 2000 very quickly. And they had another 500 copies available for preorder within three weeks, but that has still not sold out. Maybe there just isn’t as big a demand for it as I think, but I expected it to sell more and I wonder how many people passed on it and would still jump at a copy of it if it was a single LP, under $20 – I know I would without hesitation.

           Basically what I’m saying is that if you want to do a special repress or reissue of an album – make it special. Some of the things I love are creative packaging, alternative artwork, artist input wherever possible, mastering for vinyl, and things like that. No more gatefolds and etched D-sides just because it bumps up the price tag, only do it if it truly adds value. If you’re not going to make it really great, keep it basic: make it affordable and available. And whenever possible, do both! It seems to me that the best way to cash in is to get a quality record into the hands of everyone who wants one.

[reviewittoday]

Five Year Plan - “Breaking To Build”

(off of Five Year Plan)

           The intro to this song could be pull straight off of a Four Year Strong track so I was immediately interested. It quickly fades out and lightens up a bit into a softer melodic line. The vocals have a good texture to them, but do not have much of a range. This makes them come of as a passionate speaking rather than singing in my opinion. I like the feel of the delivery though so it’s not all bad, and the instrumentals compliment this flow well. The best part of this track is the lyrics. They really resonate and are relatable talking about, as the title suggests, the experiences that people go through which both break them down and, ultimately, make them stronger. I think that with a bit more energy and tonal diversity, both instrumentally and vocally, that Five Year Plan could hit on something that a lot of people could really enjoy and connect to.

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