Creo En Mí - Nunca Más [2011]

For Fans Of: Kid Dynamite, Dag Nasty, Paint It Black

Genres: Punk mothafunkin' rock. And some hardcore in there too.

Spotify: Facebook

Preview:

It's been quite a while since I've heard a punk band as refreshing as this. Alex, Sebas, and Andres, also known as Creo En Mí, are impressive up and comers from Guatemala who are eager to share their music. As another reviewer put it, "They have that elusive combination of ferocity and melody that makes your blood feel like it's on fire."

Here's a short promotional made for their albume release show that they recently sent to us. I don't know what they're saying but it's well-done and features a cute doggie.

Drunk Neighbours (2011) Demo tape

Drunk Neighbours Demo release - Mediafire

Genre: Acoustic, Hardcore, Punk.

FFO: Dave Hause, Defeater, Koji, Titus Andronicus

Website: I've plugged this before, but Nick doesn't ask for money for his music. Just visit his Blog and leave your regards

'if a man cries to the stars, does he also weep to the moon?'

This isn't going to be a regular post. Today is not a regular day. This morning, for one, I went for a run, for only the second time this year, I rose from sleeplessness and went jogging. My mind is so cruel that the only time I think its good and productive to exercise is after a great night of punishing my liver, when I can't sleep because of the unnatural pressures in my head. Finally at 6AM I say, fuck it the only thing that can make me sleep is more punishing behaviour, this has become a trend. My plan was to run to the ocean harbour and back, a 5km run in total--my realistic plan was to run there and collapse on the beach. I ended up crumbling into a heaving and wheezing pile at a public school about 3 blocks from my house. It was a glorious sight for all the dog walkers and old early risers to see a youth in more pain than them.

'Every morning I wake with a fire in my belly, so every morning I run' I don't mean to hate on my cousin, but fuck that shit. I felt like I swallowed a dragon this morning, but his inspirational words almost cost me my life. After this, I was in desperate need of something I like to call Bowls Before Breakfast. This includes marijuana, tobacco & a pipe, and a beer for the shower. This all comes before the eggs and cereal, no doubt. Healthy, right? Just play some Touche Amore and its a party.

Now, why was I drinking on a Tuesday in the first place, you might ask? This has a simply illogical answer. When God sends me a flower, I am so socially detrimental to the world, I tend to flourish in the opportunity, giving myself, and the girl a false pretence of rightness or connectivity. Whatever, you know what I mean. So when I got home and started drinking through the hours of 4pm-2am to celebrate the sweet tea time and success of getting her number, its only natural for me to sabotage that mid flight. Here's what I did, I slowly made evident to myself the wisdom of avoiding future pains by deleting her number so to never think about her again by babbling my drunk head off and stumbling through the grocery store. Evenly consider these premises: a man who chooses solitude hasn't the right to feel loneliness. and I mean I don't see these angels staying up at night racking their brains why I don't call or respond to their texts or make advances when they're in my living room staring at me, or in a towel where I might be reading a goddamn book. No, if I leave them to they're busy days of knocking some other licentious guys out, showing interest in cooler things than my poetry, and sharing a laugh over coffee, they wont spare me a single thought when I'm gone, they're girls.

I suppose I'm telling you this because it didn't all work out this time, but it all lead to something greater than a date. I believe its called an epiphany, but anyway, I didn't forget about her after dropping the info into the abyssal of the cyber trashcan, and because my celebration turned lamentation with my room mates and their friends faced me against a mirror of the same problems I've been trying to suppress for the past four months I made some kind of breakthrough with the help of my friends. I wish I slept last night, but above all, I wish I didn't have to pour all the shards of my broken life into my two best friends hands every time I get heavy boots. Brad just withstands my insanity as long as he can, and even if I'm hurting him or ruining his fun, he just beats it out through his drums later on. I appreciate this so much because its really my only grounding, and I've driven other friend's crazy in a shorter period of time with my selfish antics and by dwelling on my problems.

I hate my own art and so I rely on my friend Nick for the music that's closest to my heart. Seriously check the demo he sent me last night. As a close personal friend I feel my experience with this music could be taken as a reflection of the artist's introspection that is the music. First and foremost, this is a story of growth between homes, it is very situational to this early part of maturity and it has a very bitter-sweet feeling towards the past. Everything is celebrated because we made it, but there is not a sign of a smile through the demo. I first heard these songs performed live when I was running from everything and losing the race about three weeks ago. I had returned to my home province Ontario for a visit because I was losing my mind in Halifax. It was there I realized my old life was entirely gone, the friends I always thought would be there, they dispersed when I left, and I knew I had grown apart from each one, except Nick seemingly grew at my rate, just like 2 thousand miles apart. That's why I rely on his reassurances to keep my morality intact. These songs saved my life that night, I swear that much, and these recordings have forced me to stare at the facts, at how far past those days we are, how I'm not a kid any more, but I'm no man either (I'm literally some unbalanced, stretched out freak), and that even if I don't think I deserve happiness its downright unethical to treat myself like I'm not human and therefore hide myself away from all things natural. Most importantly it decided for me that I can't act like I don't need something to rely on any more, for too long I told myself I'd make myself content to be alone and I strived for the unattainable independence by severing too many ties and making the conscious effort to make people dislike me. This was all just the painful aspects of my immaturity I never accepted. If you've ever wondered what the consequences of being raised in the city with the fastest population growth in the world (and its little sister township) you have found the underground that best demonstrates a retrospective look at these growing pains in what I like to call 'little, little America' (because Toronto is fucking Mephistopheles if the States is Satan).

Prophet, Said I - Demo (2010)

Prophet, Said I - (2010) Demo

Kind of Like: Defeater, Pianos Become the Teeth

Genre: Screamo, Hardcore

Where to Listen: Mediafire

Not just the vocalist, but the band has that rasp and strain through every note that leave ghosts. This band has everything going for them, and I pretty well accept the fact now that I most of all enjoy this sub-genre of genres. If I had to pinpoint what that was cl

assified under, I'd type some crud like relentless and indulgent shouting, but I think that'd be just ridiculous.

You'll Live - Things Would Change if You Heard This (2011)

Kind of Like: Featherweight, Ravachol

Genre: Post-Punk, Screamo, Hardcore, emo

Where to listen: Bandcamp

Death by Whiskey put this in the top rank of his EP list of 2011 thus far. I would have to agree. I came across this EP months ago, and my re-ignited passion for hardcore has been utterly shook into life since. Its admittedly been tough keeping up with my music downloads, with so many quality vinyl readily available to me, this album has satisfied me most when I craved scramz, which we most desperately lack. I'd like to describe it simply as a clean screamo, in the sense of having displays of wickedly performed vocals and a punk driven backdrop that feels like conveying its message in melodic fashion.

Dads - Brush Your Teeth, Again ;) (2011)

Kind of Like: Pizza and Regrets, Dowsing, You Blew It!

Genre: Post-rock, emo

Where to listen: Bandcamp

The basement video for the original release of Brush Your Teeth is what really hooked me to these two tapes. Especially, Dan's Christopher Walken Impression, its just a great song, warming and tickling. Their music has a unique energy that isn't quite summed in either of their vocals, or the sometimes frantic, post-rock guitar. I guess, its the feeling of remembering that 35 year old dude leading his little kid holding half-a-watermelon hes stoked on to the sidelines of the big brother's soccer game-and just then you want to say, ya, mad nice fold-chair little dude, loud enough for his dad to hear-and just when he has to turn around to see what punk talked to his kid so he trips on the dog's leash but only a little. ha dads in reality are so awesome

Daniel Striped Tiger, No Difference LP (2011)

Kind of Like: Ampere, Loma Prieta

Genre: Post-Punk, Hardcore, Ambient, math rock

Where to Listen: Mediafire

This is solid-punk with more than a little edge and dissonance to swing around in. At moments it may sound, 'like garbage cans falling down stairs, with distortion and feedback." I had to agree. The vocals ground everything nicely, though, frequent rests and guitar hammerings make the bulk of their songs a bit jarring, and yet they show an appeal for instrumental speed and urgency. This couples with a traditional punk vocal delivery and with repetition to avoid what might seemingly become a definitively metallic feel.

The Joys of Living 2008-2010 by Sharks (2011)

Kind of Like: Dave Hause, The Gaslight Anthem

Genre: Punk, UK psychobilly

Where to Listen: Mediafire
The Joys of Living. I couldn't help myself from not posting this any longer, despite my feelings of utter redundancy. Sharks' album incorporates so many elements of the timeless punk I love I'm alone somewhere familiar, or with a group of new people I don't much enjoy, and the familiarity of old EPs comforts me such life's bearable; like now ancient drum patterns, and great catchy jams that are irresistible to not sing to; to add a modern feel to the music giving a subtly progressive sounds to the punk, is as easy as harmonicas, an extensive drum kit, and most importantly, the un-stripped, and unaccompanied vocals, strained and executed purposefully, like that french figurehead Robespierre.

Thursday - No Devolucion (2011)

FFO: United Nations, Glassjaw

Genre: Post-hardcore, indie, emo

Where to listen: Follow this link (sorry)

6th Thursday studio album. I'll edit after I give this more time.

Taking Back Sunday - Self Titled EP (Faith [When I Let You Down]) (2011)

FFO: The Wonder Years, Thursday

Genre: Indie, Emo

Where to Listen: Mediafire

I got super stoked for this album when I heard the first single and noted the energy--the overall attitude that I really loved about their first EP and album revived for this release.

Bee Control Self-titled 7 Inch (2011)

Kind of Like: Joan of Arc, Pelican, Milemarker
Genres: Punk, Hardcore
Preview: Punk News


"Bee Control is a hardcore trio composed of Dave Laney (Milemarker, Auxes, Challenger), Trevor de Brauw (Pelican, Tusk, Chord) and Theo Katsaounis (Joan of Arc, Locks, Hey Tonal, et al ad infinitum). The four quick blasts that comprise the tracklisting of the group’s debut 7″ are a distillation of the ferocity and simplicity of early 80′s hardcore with the willful avantisms and lyrical nihilism that informed the mid-90′s punk scene in which these musicians originally got their start. At the core of the EP is a desire to tap into the same fertile soil in which their musical lives originally took root, to recapture and reevaluate their youthful rage with wisened eyes, and to eradicate any misconceptions of middle aged contentment – the bitterness increases by the day."
-Band Blog

I went to the Great Big Pile of Leaves/Joan of Arc show last night.  The Summer Pledge opened, they played all new material and I like how things are going for them.  The lead singer said hopefully their new LP will be out in the fall.  I featured You are You on here already, so check that out.  Destroy this Place was next, and they were a fun little garage rock band.  I will probably feature them on here at some point.  A Great Big Pile of Leaves absolutely killed it.  They played a great collection of songs and it was a blast.  Joan of Arc....was somewhat disappointing.  They had a rough start.  They were using vintage small Fender amps and the one was on the fritz so they had to switch amps.  Then he had to switch guitars as well, and I'm not sure if the second guitar was tuned right because the first song was pretty rough.  They got better as they went along, but they never really carried the energy that a Great Big Pile of Leaves built up.

So, what does this have to do with this album?  Well this seven inch was on Joan of Arc's merch table.  It said "members of Joan of Arc and Pelican" and that sounded like a cool mix to me.  The result is an intense hardcore/punk album.  I know it doesn't sound like the bands that are in the "Kind of Like" but I figured the band members brought all their own influences from their past bands.  And quite frankly I'm feeling lazy.

Also, if you pick up the 7 inch (it's only 5 bucks), Side A is 45 rpm and Side B is 33 rpm.  Which is something I never have really seen before up until now.  Weird.

Listen Here

Poor Lily by Poor Lily (2011)

Kind of Like: Minor Threat, Sick of it All,
Genres: Punk, Hardcore Punk
Preview: Sound Cloud


I found this thru The Needle Drop, and since Anthony can review this album a lot better than I can, I'm going to send it to him where you can listen to his take.  And check out his site.

Listen Here

Hand Holder EP by Grown Ups (2011)

Kind of Like: Algernon Cadwallader, Snowing, Living with Lions, CSTVT

Genres: Emo, Punk, Post-Hardcore, Pop Punk

Preview: Bandcamp

Here is the long awaited new material from Grown Ups.  After listening to Songs and More Songs, I sadly was finding the songs I really enjoyed were growing old (except "Pears", still listen to that first part quite a bit).  This new material is pretty good, it certainly renews my interest in them.  The lyrics are cliche at times (if I hear more lyrics about how light is refracted or how things "ebb and flow", I don't know what I'm gonna do).  Still this is a solid band that is part of a highly popular movement, and they still bring some new feels to the table along with what made me listen to them in the first place.  I am way more excited for CSTVT's new release, especially with their newer (and better, in my opinion) sound.

Listen Here:

Empty Conversations/I.Witness Split (2011)

Kind of Like: Optimus Prime, Louder than Words, La Quiete, Orchid
Genres: Hardcore Punk, Post-Hardcore, Screamo
Preview: Bandcamp

I. Witness is from Russia, and Empty Conversations is from Kazakhstan. Although Kazakhstan a glorious country, it have a problem, too: economic, social, and Jew.  Sorry, I just always think of Borat when I see/hear Kazakhstan.  I wonder if people from Kazakhstan hate him for that.  Anyways, this is great mix of hardcore punk, post-hardcore, screamo and La Quiete-esque emo breaks.  If you like I. Witness, they have all of their material available on their last.fm.  Very Nice!

Sexy time!

Wavves/Trash Talk Split (2011)

Kind of Like: Wavves: Smith Westerns, Vivian Girls, bygones| Trash Talk: Lewd Acts, Ceremony, Swamp Thing
Genres: Wavves: Noise Rock, Indie | Trash Talk: Hardcore Punk
Preview: Wavves Myspace | Trash Talk Myspace

Nice split featuring two bands on different parts of the spectrum.  Wavves is a noise rock/pop outfit run by Nathan Williams out of San Diego that sounds like a mix of Smith Westerns and bygones mixed with some lo-fi-ness.  Trash Talk is a hardcore punk band from Sacramento.  They have one song each and they are a little under two minutes long.

Listen Here

Baptists EP by Baptists (2011)

Kind of Like: Converge, No Omega
Genres: Punk, Hardcore,
Preview: Myspace

Crazy, punishing, wicked hardcore/metal from vancouver

Listen Here

Pariso/Kerouac Split (2011)

Kind of Like: The Long Haul, Dillinger Escape Plan, Converge
Genres: Chaotic hardcore, Mathcore, Punk
Preview: Bandcamp

Kerouac just released a split a couple months ago with the Long Haul that is featured on this blog, I highly recommend you pick it up.  I am actually still waiting for that split record to be delivered (along with By Surprise and Snowing).  Anyways, this split with Pariso is quite short, and is actually a 5'' record.  The fact that the album has 5 songs each is deceiving.  They are actually more like one song each that are split into 5 parts.  Seeing that these guys are mathcore bands, splitting a song into 5 ten to forty second sections actually works quite well.  If you view this as one new song for each band or five, this split is great, it'll just piss your last.fm scrobbler off.

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Songs To Scream At The Sun by Have Heart

Kind of like: Bane, Touche Amore, Defeater
Genres: Hardcore Punk
Preview:

"Have Heart was a straight-edge hardcore band from Massachusetts. They embraced a realistic and forward-thinking attitude both musically and lyrically, and had an eclectic influence from various ’80s and ’90s hardcore bands, ranging from Youth Of Today & Verbal Assault to Outspoken & Unbroken to In My Eyes & Bane. They started in 2002 and ended in 2009, after releasing a 2003 demo, a 7” on Think Fast! Records (What Counts), and two LPs on Bridge Nine Records (The Things We Carry and Songs to Scream at the Sun)."
-Last FM

Solid no bullshit east coast hardcore punk. Listen, enjoy, repeat.

Listen here