Hit the Switch and Blacklist Royals Interview

I recently wrote two interviews for Punknews.org. The first was with Matt Hawks of melodic punks Hit the Switch. The second was with Nat Rufus from folk-country-punkers Blacklist Royals. Please check them both out...

Hit the Switch

Blacklist Royals

Oceans calling it quits, last shows in Chicago tonight, tomorrow

Chicago instrumental indie-rockers Oceans are calling it quits, according to their PR rep. The band wanted to let fans know that their two final shows will take place in Chicago tonight and tomorrow.

The band plays at 8 p.m. tonight at Reggie's Rock Club with The Ghost, Mt. St. Helens, Burn Tibet and Johnny Bodacious. Oceans is then scheduled for its final show at 6 p.m. tomorrow at Summer Camp with Native, Noumenon, Birth Rites, Victor Fix the Sun and Antarctic. Oceans released "Nothing Collapses" on Copper Lung Records this year.

They Came From The Shadows - Teenage Bottlerocket

They Came From The Shadows
Teenage Bottlerocket

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Released: Sept. 1, 2009
Label: Fat Wreck Chords

Review by: Bill Jones

Since the band’s inception, Teenage Bottlerocket has been subject to the criticism that they aren’t really doing anything more than what The Ramones did more than 30 years ago with their special brand of three-cord pop-punk. It’s a hard criticism to combat, because at the core of it all, it’s true. But the question punks have to ask themselves is – is Teenage Bottlerocket’s reliance upon and perfection of that sound such a bad thing?

Fat Wreck Chords must have seen something worthwhile in the formula, picking up the Teenage Bottlerocket’s latest, They Came From The Shadows, for the band’s first release with the label. The Laramie, Wyo. quartet does little to reinvent the sound, with 14 three-chord pop-punk tunes, and it doesn’t help matters that the inside album photo that features them in a row, decked out in leather. But that’s just the way we (the non naysayers) like about these guys.

Teenage Bottlerocket starts thing off with an homage to the skate culture in “Skate or Die,” declaring, “We’re gonna fight, we’re gonna win / We’re gonna make skate a fucking threat again.” Over the next 13 tracks, they don’t deviate much from the battle plan – driving drum beats with lots of cymbal rides, three-chords giving way only for brief guitar solos, and passionate vocals with plenty of hooks – save for the lyrics which…well, there are actually more than three lines to a lot of these songs, which can be cited as new ground for Teenage Bottlerocket.

While the change may ring false for some, citing the simplicity as part of the charm, Teenage Bottlerocket succeeds because, as it turns out, the boys can write ‘em. “Bigger Than Kiss” marks one of the funniest songs they’ve written to date, slamming Kiss and imagining being bigger rock stars than the Detroit natives.

“Detroit couldn’t rock itself out of a paper bag / Gene Simmons looks kinda cool / But Paul Stanley kinda looks like jag / Ace Frehley can play guitar / But he ain’t no fucking Kerry King”

“Be With You” is another standout on the album, with its catchy chorus…

“I don’t want to be be be with you / No I don’t want to be be be with you / I don’t want to do what you want me to do / I wanna do what I want to”

The production of Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore at the famed Blasting Room is ace as always. But let’s face it - Teenage Bottlerocket could have recorded this in a garage and it would likely be just as endearing. They Came From The Shadows definitely doesn’t come close to breaking the mold. Teenage Bottlerocket doesn’t use its jump to Fat Wreck to reimagine themselves, but fans wouldn’t have it any other way. No oh oh!

Live from Axis Mundi - Gogol Bordello

Live from Axis Mundi
Gogol Bordello

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars
Released: Oct. 6, 2009
Label: SideOneDummy

Review by: Bill Jones

It is never much of a surprise when a live album sucks. Usually designed as a tie-over between albums, they are packed with music fans have already paid for, sometimes a poorly shot DVD, and audio recordings that do nothing to capture the live performance, leaving listeners better off with the album originals. When a live album is good, however, and exceeds those expectations, it can be a truly pleasant surprise.

Such is the case with Gogol Bordello’s Live from Axis Mundi. The 2-disc (one CD, one DVD) set is put together in a great package by SideOneDummy and the band. Fans are treated to a fold-out digipack, with a couple great photos, as well as a booklet featuring a letter from front man Eugene Hutz and plenty more live photos.

But it is the content on the two discs that truly impresses. The DVD contains a passionate 14-song set from the band, captured in July, 2007 at The Filmore at Irving Plaza in New York City. The Live Nation Studios Production is expertly filmed to capture the high-octane show Gogol Bordello always gives fans, seemingly on a pair of nights when the band was 110 percent on its game, taking to the balcony and riding bass drums over the crowd, all without using cheap editing techniques or mind-boggling quick cuts to get the job done. Between the vibrant visuals that cater to the band’s performance and the great audio (with options for Dolby 5.1 Surround or Stereo), Live at Axis Mundi provides fans the closest thing to being at a show, though without all the sweat.

The DVD is rounded out by four extra live tracks, music videos (“Start Wearing Purple,” “Not a Crime,” “Wonderlust King” and “American Wedding”) and “Bonus Chronicles,” which range from stage antics to a featurette on the band titled “Creative People Must Be Stopped!” It is a nice collection of goodies to make a great DVD even better.

Then the band one-ups itself again, opting for a CD collection of BBC and Gypsy Punk sessions, as well as two demos and an instrumental track, for a total of 11 tracks. It is a much better idea than a simple audio dub of the live DVD, and gives fans new ways to hear some of Gogol Bordello’s biggest and favorite tunes. Live from Axis Mundi is the type of live release that goes above and beyond to be something more than just another album break. Gogol Bordello outdoes itself, and fans should love every minute of it.

Gallop Meets the Earth - Protest the Hero

Gallop Meets the Earth
Protest the Hero

Rating: 2 out of 5 Stars
Released: Sept. 8, 2009
Label: Vagrant

Review by: Bill Jones

A Star Wars-style scrolling text at the opening of the “Director’s Cut” version of the Gallop Meets the Earth DVD is a pseudo-review/hate letter directed at the band for a performance deemed to be all right, but nothing spectacular. The band lacks the energy and all-out craziness of previous performances, according to the text. If the letter is real, and was written in response to the particular show recorded for this DVD/CD combo, it’s dead on.

Love or hate Protest the Hero, they are known for a sort of metal fusion sound that prides itself on technical proficiency in its wacky, always-changing time signatures, rounded out by fantasy lyrics that would make Rush proud. Such technical performances don’t always translate well to the live setting (especially depending on the actual skill of any given band). Protest the Hero does a decent job of pulling it off, albeit better in a small club setting, and more notably a few years back in the Kezia era. But lately the band seems a little less-lighthearted, and the show suffers a bit as a result.

Vocalist Rody Walker’s jokes still fall flat and piss off the crowd, Arif Mirabdolhaghi keeps quietly at the guitar, failing to deliver any of his signature poses, and guitarist Tim Millar with his ever-increasing facial hair is starting to look like he may be moonlighting as a faux-bo. And that could be a good thing. Maybe the band isn’t trying to be a gimmick but rather simply perform their tunes, but the energy is lackluster, and the performance is mediocre with a recording that doesn’t help, meaning fans should just toss the CD to the garbage heap in favor of the studio albums.

On the DVD side of things, viewers have the option of watching the performance straight through, or a longer cut that features backstage segments awkwardly cut in at all the wrong places to offer a not-so-special behind-the-scenes glimpse at the band. The performance itself is filmed with high-quality cameras, and the crew sets up some impressive visuals that involve confetti drops and great stage lighting. The effort is somewhat undermined, however, by editing that is at times more erratic that necessary, coupled with terribly ugly split-screen jobs that look like they were done with a home video kit on the computer.

The extra material is the usual fare of the band’s tour shenanigans. These are unfortunately not as exciting for the viewer as the fun the band seems to be having in each scene. The highlight is two members of Protest and crew cross-dressing for a metal awards show dance designed to be Bruno-caliber gay. And the liner art is an ugly wave of orange, yellow and black forming some kind of face.

Protest the Hero does nothing overtly terrible with Gallop Meets the Earth. It follows the standard formula for a band DVD release designed to bridge the gap between studio albums, packing in the content, but every piece of it screams mediocrity. And when the performance falls in that same category, the band has a problem on its hands. Gallop Meets the Earth is a disappointment.

Quickies 2: Casualties, madcowboys, Nathen Maxwell and more!

We Are All We Have
The Casualties

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 Stars
Released: Aug. 25, 2009
Label: SideOneDummy

The seventh studio album from The Casualties is essentially more of the same, which will likely please their crusty jean-jacket-wearing fan base, but We Are All We Have does little to evolve the sound of the street punk veterans or entertain casual fans coming back for more. The cover is mostly black, featuring growling wolves, and the back cover features the band in traditional dress. The songs are just as familiar, with requisite anthems about being punk veterans, banding together and war being a profitable endeavor. The problem is that the lyrics being belted out by Jorge Herrera are as simple and by-the-punk-books as they get, and never has Herrera sounded so much like Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, despite the work of Bill Stevenson and his crew at the Blasting Room. When there are bands like The Briggs doing the street punk sound so much better, there’s really just no need for a Casualties album this mediocre.

A Lot of Weird People Standing Around (7-inch)
Everyone Everywhere

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars
Released: March 10, 2009
Label: Evil Weevil Records

From “Everyhow Everythere,” the opening track of Everyone Everywhere’s latest four-track effort, A Lot of Weird People Standing Around, the band practically screams, “We’re indie as fuck!” Light-fingered guitar riffs weave their way through airy vocals. But Everyone Everywhere has a leg up on some of the competition – they don’t seem like pretentious artists, but rather a group of dudes having fun with their tunes. They sing about being stuck in the house in underwear, keg parties and heating bills. The vinyl packaging adds to that fun. Aside from the weird people standing around on the front cover of the cardboard sleeve, the record comes pressed on a cool translucent blue vinyl, and came with photo copies of someone’s notebook doodles, as well as a voucher for mp3 tracks of the EP. Everyone Everywhere might not have the most original sound around, but they do service to the indie genre with this entertaining 7-inch.

madcowboys
madcowboys

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars
Released: June 2, 2009
Label: New Black

The madcowboys third full-length effort sees the trio hitting its stride with witty lyrics and a style that is truly becoming their own, while still calling to mind influences like Dillinger Four. Vocalist Mike McLeod plays fast and loose with the lyrics, rolling lines like “girl, you look so goddamn fine, but you got that religion in the mind / I’m just tryin’ to open up your eyes a bit, show you ‘a light’ and show you a good time / but your god is a motherfuckin’ cockblockin partycrashin’ biatch, honey” in the album’s highlight track, “Girls in Shackles.” Yeah, madcowboys pull no punches with their lyrics, which also lambaste monogamy and American Idol, but that’s just the way punk should be. The 16 tracks contained on the band’s self-titled effort are packed to the brim with energy, barebones production, just enough pop to keep the mess together and catchy, and a shit-ton of blunt lyrics laced with humor, covering just about everything. The only caution is that madcowboys self-titled effort is hard to stop listening to once the listener puts it in the stereo.

25 Years
Middle Class Rut

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 Stars
Released: May 5, 2009
Label: Bright Antenna

It may not go back 25 Years, but listening to Middle Class Rut’s latest EP sounds like a trip back through time, to at least the late 1990s. In the six-track effort, which clocks it at a hefty 28 minutes, MC Rut weaves a selection of four-plus-minute barebones alternative rock anthems. Okay, barebones may not be a fair descriptor, as the sound is quite hefty considering there are only two guys behind it. But as a studio effort, where those two guys could layer sounds for eternity, 25 Years is fairly cut-and-dry. There are a lot of heavy drums and sound effects (like chains) to give things an epic feel, and it is entertaining, for sure, but it also sounds like something Jane’s Addiction might have done a decade ago, with no noticeable update to the formula. The lyrics linger way too long in a methodical manner to live up to the tenacious comparison they have received to Rage Against the Machine. As a throwback to a style long since abandoned by many musicians, 25 Years is guaranteed to please, but fans shouldn’t expect anything more.

White Rabbit
Nathen Maxwell & The Original Bunny Gang

Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
Released: Aug. 18, 2009
Label: SideOneDummy

The bassist for Irish-punk legends Flogging Molly, Nathen Maxwell, steps out on his own, with a little help from The Original Bunny Gang, on White Rabbit. For those expecting a touch of the Celtic flavor, it is nowhere to be found on White Rabbit. Instead, Maxwell mixes folk and reggae – and maybe even a bit of Latin flavor in songs like “Mijo” – influences for an incredibly laid back sound for a guy usually seen pounding Guinness on the stage in front of rowdy crowds. It’s definitely an interesting mix, but whether it is successful is something that listeners will have to decide on their own. Ted Hutt does a decent job producing the effort, but there doesn’t seem to be much to it. The lyrics and instrumentation come across as simple, and Maxwell’s voice isn’t the most appealing at the slowed pace. Maxwell does a great job of separating himself from the Flogging Molly sound, but that leaves him without the interest of the band’s fans and questions of whether the work is strong enough to stand on its own.

Spirit Desire (7-inch)
Tigers Jaw

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 Stars
Released: Aug. 18, 2009
Label: Tiny Engines

From the home of The (American) Office, Scranton, Penn., comes Tigers Jaw. The band follows its full-length self-titled debut with Spirit Desire, a four-track 7-inch vinyl EP. Though the band doesn’t really sound anything like them, Spirit Desire’s wuss rock vibe, created in large part by vocalists Adam McIlwee and Ben Walsh, often reminds of Weezer, with a bit of another band they really sound nothing like, Pain. Comparisons they’ve received to Archers of Loaf, Pavement and the Chapel Hill scene are probably more accurate. Spirit Desire is packed with fuzzy guitar sounds, and slow beats creating slow builds in each of the four songs. The opening title track shows a lot of promise, but ultimately the limp, sad, brooding vocals tug this effort, and the listener, down through most of the 13 minutes it lasts. The 7-inch features a translucent sleeve with a strangely intriguing piece of art behind it featuring a man seemingly Photoshopped in front of a building and pool, with purple and yellow colors added to the mix, but the yellow vinyl is pretty ugly. It comes with a free mp3 code.

Distances (7-inch)
The Wonder Years/All or Nothing (Split)

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Released: March 10, 2009
Label: No Sleep

The Distances split between The Wonder Years and All or Nothing offer a pair of new tunes from each band. In the case of The Wonder Years, the tracks are “An Elegy for Baby Blue” and “Don’t Open the Fridge,” both of which are a lot more studio polished than their previous work. The tracks sound like something that could have fit in with New Found Glory’s debut, Nothing Gold Can Stay, in a very good way. All or Nothing has a bit more modern of a sound, with airier vocals, but a strong punk backbeat driving each song. The white vinyl and artwork are a bit boring, but it’s the music that counts most, and the Distances split should be a hit with fans of both bands.

Midwest Soundclash - Green Room Rockers/The Pinstripes

Midwest Soundclash
Green Room Rockers/The Pinstripes

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Released: Aug. 11, 2009
Label: Dashiki Clout Records

Review by: Bill Jones

Dashiki Clout, the small indie label of Mustard Plug front man Dave Kirchgessner, has been around since 1991, but has only previously issued 10 releases since that time. Kirchgessner gets things moving again with Midwest Soundclash, a 10-inch split between Layfayette, Indiana’s The Green Room Rockers and Cincinnati, Ohio’s The Pinstripes, designed to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Specials/Selector 7-inch.

The vinyl features three tracks from each band. Half of just more than 500 records pressed feature translucent vinyl, while the other half are white. The split also comes with two different options of artwork, both hand-screened and hand-numbered by The Pinstripes’ guitarist Matt Kursmark. One design, the better one, features two towers of speakers with cords winding through them symmetrically on the cover, with microphones facing one another at the bottom, all on the baby blue background. The other forms the states of Indiana and Ohio with the album title, Midwest Soundclash. Both come with a large card with lyrics and album credits. It is quite nice packaging for the vinyl collectors.

The music is not bad, either. Both Green Room Rockers and The Pinstripes play a combination of reggae, ska and a touch of American soul music that leans more toward the sound of bands like The Aggrolites and Westbound Train than Mustard Plug. The rhythms are laid back with heavy bass grooves, but full of energy throughout.

Green Room Rockers kick things off with “Revival,” a tune about people of the world finding something to make their lives better in reggae music. It starts with a heavy horn line and then a slow skankin’ rhythm.

“There was a granny in her bed, barely livin’ almost dead / She didn’t want to move at all / she was afraid she’d take a fall / then she turned on her radio / it played a sound she did not know / this sound excited her so / made her strength grow and grow”

“Irony” slows things down a bit to talk about how crazy life can be, highlighted by a soulful trumpet solo. “Stay With Him” closes out the side, and is the grooviest of the bunch, bringing back the prominent organ from the first track, telling a story of being left for someone else.

The Pinstripes continue the vibe on their half with “Come On In,” “Cool Whip/Hot Sauce” and “Rest My Head.” The highlight of the first track is vocalist Mike Sarason, who takes a traditional reggae approach to some of his lyrics and does it well, marking the best track of the effort. The band knows how to build a tune with big horns and some back and forth vocal work, as well as a great instrumental outro to the track.

“Cool Whip/Hot Sauce” contains only those words, and simply creates a smooth vibe with a few moments of spice in the otherwise instrumental track. “Rest My Head” serves as a decent closer, but doesn’t quite have the same punch as the rest of the songs on Midwest Soundclash.

Overall, Midwest Soundclash sounds at times a bit too much like its influences for its own good, and fans hoping for variety will find none of the faster ska-punk sound. But for fans of the genres harnessed by these bands, both Green Room Rockers and The Pinstripes have the energy and musicianship to pull it off and keep it exciting. Both bands boast incredibly full sounds, likely in part due to the production work of The Slackers’ Dave Hillyard on Green Room Rockers half, Chris Grannen for The Pinstripes, and the split mastering of Mass Giorgini at Sonic Iguana Studio. Midwest Soundclash should please the ska community looking for something more laid back, and vinyl collectors will appreciate the effort put into the release.

Good Views, Bad News - Broadway Calls

Good Views, Bad News
Broadway Calls

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Released: Aug. 18, 2009
Label: SideOneDummy

Review by: Bill Jones

For Broadway Calls’ latest full-length and SideOneDummy debut, the boys hit the famed Blasting Room studio with Bill Stevenson, and come out swinging with a more polished version of their usual throwback to late 1990s pop-punk, producing their best effort yet in Good Views, Bad News.

For fans of the band’s self-titled effort, Good Views, Bad News isn’t quite as diverse as the band’s previous work, but Broadway Calls has polished a sense of great melody working to perfect a style of music this reviewer grew up loving – taking influences from bands like Green Day, New Found Glory and maybe even a touch of Lit in songs like “Basement Royalty.” The lack of diversity, instead of hurting the band, actually adds a bit of stability to Broadway Calls’ latest.

Every song is filled with a variety of sounds, included some slight harmonized vocals between guitarist Ty Vaughn and bassist Matt Koenig, with a tight drum performance by Josh Baird. Toss in some poignant and well-sung lyrics about everything from being in a band (“To the Sheets”), to a blast of military recruiters (“Be All That You Can’t Be”), to an anti-self-pity self-pity song (“Give Up the Ghost”), and Broadway Calls has a great album on their hands. If the album cover – a girl flying a burning kite in an industrialized area as the sun goes down – is any indication, there are some intelligent, dark themes to be found in these subtle and catchy hooks.

Good Views, Bad News doesn’t necessarily evolve the genre or the Broadway Calls sound. It is the most focused effort they’ve put together, however, and rather than hopping trends, finds the band honing in a particular sound that the band and its fans can enjoy. Another great album from Broadway Calls.

Quickies 1 - Gatorface, Shook Ones, The Takers, Fastball, Crisis in Hollywood, Anarbor

Some albums beg for 1,000-word reviews. Others can be summed up fairly in a single paragraph. The latter aren't necessarily worse; it's just that everything album doesn't require an essay. For those reviews that just come out on the short end, I've created this "Quickies" series - brief reviews on a series of albums, good and bad, sharing a post. All reviews by Bill Jones.

Free Your Mind
Anarbor

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 Stars
Released: March 10, 2009
Label: Hopeless

Free Your Mind, the latest EP from the Phoenix foursome Anarbor, starts with a cool dance-rock vibe, featuring a heavy bass groove and straightforward guitars. It gives listeners the feeling that they might be in for something fun and exciting. Instead, vocalist Slade Echeverria enters the mix with a Fallout Boy sense of phrasing, a Hot Topic sensibility toward lyrics and too much self-indulgence in high-pitched tangents giving way to choruses that can’t be told apart from thousands of other songs just like them. Anarbor is catchy, sure, but the super-polished production makes it feels like a manufactured set of hooks without heart, ultimately making for some decent mindless entertainment, but nothing for the discerning music fan.

Safe and Sound
Crisis in Hollywood

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars
Released: May 12, 2009
Label: Financial Records

From the very first second of Safe and Sound’s opening title track, Crisis in Hollywood will remind listeners of the glory days of New Found Glory and company. In 12 tracks, the Orlando four-piece cements itself as a quality pop-punk act in the vain of the best, rather than the new breed of bastardized time structures and sloppy performances. Safe and Sound is super-smooth in its production, and while the band’s songwriting formula doesn’t break the mold of the oldies but goodies in the scene, Crisis in Hollywood has a knack for writing catchy hooks and four-part harmonies that are guaranteed to attract the ladies in the crowd without dropping the guys to “boy band” status. These guys know how to turn teen relationship angst into decent pop-punk tunes, with enough variety within the album to keep it interesting throughout.

Sick and Stupid (Digital)
Gatorface

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Released: Nov. 25, 2008
Label: Paper + Plastick

The third project to rise from the ashes of New Mexican Disaster Squad is Gatorface, bringing over the pop-punk sensibilities meets hardcore vibe, falling more in line with NMDS than the other post-disbanding spin-off Virgins. All six of the tracks comprising the band’s debut, Sick and Stupid, are designed lyrically and vocally to virtually rip off the listeners' face, while the music still lends itself to a good dance in the pit. “Flak Jacket” hits the war protest strong with lyrics attacking those who still support the war, while “Frogging” touches on a feeling of defenselessness. And while the disgust in lyrics keep things thematically on the same level, the down-home guitar work of songs on the first half like “Crash/Grab” keeps the mood in a slightly better place. As with most EPs, the first impression of Gatorface is brief, but if it’s a sign of things to come, bearded, PBR-drinking, No Idea-loving punks should take notice.

Little White Lies
Fastball

Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
Released: April 14, 2009
Label: DIY

Fastball never really disappeared, but with four-year album intervals the band has faded from the mainstream attention earned on 1998’s All The Pain Money Can Buy. More than a decade after “The Way” hit MTV, the band’s sound is still hard to peg to any particular genre. It’s a bit indie with its airy vocals, a touch of reserved Beatles-esque rock, slightly experimental, a tinge of folk, but power-pop-oriented lyrics about love, such as the opener of Little White Lies, “All I Was Looking For Was You.” The repetitive and shallow lyrics make it hard for the music to resonate, but the band still has a knack for writing strangely understated catchy tunes in interesting keys. While there is nothing that really stands out on Little White Lies, music fans could do worse for a summer cruising album.

The Unquotable A.M.H.
Shook Ones

Rating: 4 out of 5
Released: June 15, 2009
Label: Paper + Plastick

The third full-length to be released by Shook Ones, The Unquotable A.M.H., finds the band in a familiar place, belting out gravely punk tunes with absolutely everything they have put into them. Scott Freeman puts every inch of his throat into each word, while the band seems intent on tearing up a stage wherever they go, while still finding time to sneak in a strolling pace or two in the tunes. The Unquotable A.M.H. is a melodic hardcore album that works both ends, at times brutal and other times catchy as all hell, though its hooks are never obvious. It’s the kind of album that first kicks the listener’s ass, then starts to grow on him as the quality songwriting works its way though to the top. For anyone not quite sold on Shook Ones up until now, this might be the album that does it.

Taker Easy
The Takers

Rating: 5 out of 5
Released: July 21, 2009
Label: Suburban Home

The Takers are a little bit country, and a little punk rock n’ roll. With folk influences pervading the Gainesville scene for years, it was only a matter of time that a label like Suburban Home release a record this incredibly country. One look at the cover art for Taker Easy and fans will know exactly what they’re getting. The Takers are outlaw country at its modern best, writing great stories into their songs in the vein of the great Johnny Cash, and both musically and vocally they’ve got the proverbial chops to pull it off. “Social Smoker” is the standout track of the album, a bittersweet reflection of better times when the character could still “steal the show.” But if The Takers can keep writing tunes this good, and performing and producing them this well, those times are just getting started for the Gainesville sextet. And for listeners, this is the perfect album to pop in the stereo during the summer, ideally out on the porch with cheap beer and a dog.

Collapser - Banner Pilot

Collapser
Banner Pilot

Rating: 4 out of 5
Stars Released: Sept. 1, 2009
Label: Fat Wreck Chords

Review by: Bill Jones

Every once in a great while, a packaging image truly sums up what listeners can expect to find on that album. Banner Pilot’s sophomore full-length effort, Collapser, happens to be one of those albums. It is not the cover art, but the image on the back of the CD case that does it for this one. Amplifiers and speakers are plugged in next to a campfire that seems to be burning in an urban setting, maybe under a viaduct. Atop one of the speakers rests a plastic cup of beer, probably warm.

Somehow that strange image exemplifies the latest Midwestern punk gem from Minneapolis, Minnesota’s Banner Pilot. Collapser is an album that has a gritty sound reminiscent of The Lawrence Arms, combined with a wealth of pop-punk bands this reviewer grew up liking before they “matured” their sounds, with a tinge of sped-up Jawbreaker and of course the band’s Minneapolis punk cohorts, Dillinger Four. Add to that a touch of Off With Their Heads, and it gets close to describing the sound of Collapser.

From the opening guitars and then drums of “Central Standard,” to the fade out of the final track, “Write it Down,” Collapser is an infectious album full of energy and punch. To go with the music, Nick Johnson provides some of his best lyrics yet, striking a just-poetic-enough-but-not-too-pretentious-to-be-punk tone. Take, for instance, the chorus of "Northern Skyline."

“To hell with red light, driving on / An open cage, this bird is gone / But I can’t leave this town if you’re not with me / I’ve been fighting boredom and routine / I’ll trade the white for forest green / But I can’t leave this town if you’re not with me I’m lost”

For those already fans of Banner Pilot, Collapser is a lot more of tracks like “Defender” than the whiplash, circle pit-inducing tunes like “Sun Belt Scars.” That raw aggression gives way a bit on Collapser, but it’s a good trade for some of the best songwriting from the band yet, with one catchy tune after another.

Gold Country - Chuck Ragan

Gold Country
Chuck Ragan

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
Released: Sept. 1, 2009
Label: SideOneDummy

Review by: Bill Jones

After the initial Hot Water Music break-up, singer/songwriter/guitarist Chuck Ragan set out on his own with great results. But while his first solo effort, a live album called Los Feliz, did an incredible job of harnessing his powerfully captivating live performance (let’s see those noisy, trendy bastards try to talk though an acoustic performance like his), it fell a bit short in truly feeling like an album. To be fair, it was more of a compilation of solo songs and HWM tracks. Its follow-up, Feast or Famine, took Ragan to the studio to properly record an album, but while he got the album feel correct; it didn’t quite capture his performance.

Gold Country, the songwriter’s third release with SideOneDummy, finally gets every piece of the puzzle right, and gives Chuck Ragan fans everything they could hope for in an album. Gold Country is the kind of album that defines a musical career, crosses genres seamlessly, truly earns the overused descriptor of “timeless” and most importantly tells a story in a way only music, and a great songwriter like Chuck Ragan, can.

From the very first track, “For Goodness Sake,” it is evident that while Ragan’s music is still founded on simple themes, melodies and backbeats (as actually noted in the lyrics) in a manner that hearkens back to Johnny Cash, Gold Country is a dynamic and mature effort, accented by the violin of Jon Gaunt and the drums of Hot Water Music drummer George Revelo.

The second cut, “Glory,” features a rolling rhythm that brings to mind an old mining scene, and highlights the power of Ragan’s vocals, with a beautiful violin solo mid-song. Later, listeners get a classic Ragan rock n’ roll sing-a-long mover in “Done and Done,” the chorus of which takes center stage.

“Oh let it go / cut loose and roll / rock steady soul / get up stand up. Throw your hands up / ah let it go / cut loose and roll / rock steady soul / get up stand up until you’re done and done”

It is followed by “The Trench,” an old-school grassroots folk song. Then there is the slow and moody “Don’t Say a Word,” following by another mover in “10 West,” with background chants of “Ohh! Haa!” that remind of Against Me! In each song, Ragan tells a story, but the album as a whole also tells a story, and he is as good at arranging the effort as he is each song.

Gold Country is an album perfect for a road trip through the national parks of the American West, but works just as well in the car on the way to work, at a campfire with friends, or while sitting at a computer and writing reviews. It has the power to run the gamut from rollicking to haunting and back again without fear. Ragan’s effort opens its arms to anyone who will listen, but doesn’t cheapen itself for one second of its 12 tracks. It is 100 percent Chuck Ragan, cutting loose and letting it roll. This is an album that this reviewer’s grandmother is as likely to listen to as the guy who remembers being in the pit at a Hot Water show. With Gold Country, Ragan resets the bar for his musical career, with songwriting as close to flawless as one can get in something as subjective as music. It is an American folk gem, and one of the best albums to be written, of any kind, in a long time.

Chicago Public Libraray announces "Sound Off" competition

The Chicago Public Library announced last week a competition to help support local musicians and draw attention to its updated catalog of CDs, music downloads, sheet music and concerts. The contest asks Chicago musicians to submit compositions inspired by their city. The winners will play at the CHIPUBLIB Sound Off Concert, a free public concert to be held in late October at Pritzker Park, near the Harold Washington Library Center.

The contest will be judged by Chris Force of Alarm Magazine, and The Girls' Guide to Rocking author Jessica Hopper. Submission guidelines are as follows...

The judges will choose winners based on song creativity, quality of performance, and original expression embodying the essence of the City of Chicago. All entries must comply with submission criteria posted at www.chipublib.org/notwhatyouthink.

Ten (10) finalists will be selected by the official judging panel, and of those, two winning entrants will receive distinction as the Grand Prize and People’s Choice Winners.

The Grand Prize Winner, determined by the panel of judges, will headline the CHIPUBLIB Sound Off Concert in late October, where they will perform their composition as well as a set featuring their other music. In addition to their headlining status, the Grand Prize Winner will receive a studio package courtesy of Electrical Audio – founded by legendary recording engineer Steve Albini.

The People’s Choice Winner will be selected by online voters who, from September 28 to October 3, view the top 10 submissions at the CHIPUBLIB Sound Off Vimeo channel and then visit the Not What You Think tumblr blog at http://www.notwhatyouthink.tumblr.com/ for online voting. The People’s Choice Winner will open for the Grand Prize Winner at the CHIPUBLIB Sound Off Concert performing their submission as well as a small set of their other music.

For rules and submission guidelines visit www.chipublib.org/notwhatyouthink. For more help, visit your local public library, browse the music sections, or ask the librarian for tips on inspiration.

Taking Woodstock

Taking Woodstock

Directed by: Ang Lee

Written by: James Schamus

Produced by: Focus Features

Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

Review by: Bill Jones

Just in time for the 40th anniversary of the famed Woodstock music festival comes Ang Lee’s first American-made directorial effort since 2005’s Brokeback Mountain. But while Taking Woodstock, does its best to create an artful film packed with humor, history, coming-of-age drama and social commentary, Lee’s latest falls more in line with the entertainment value of Hulk, and less of the powerful message of the film that garnered eight Academy Award nominations.

In Lee’s pseudo-fictional, possibly somewhat remotely historical account of Woodstock, penned by James Schamus based on the book by Elliot Tiber, viewers are treated to the story of Elliot Teichberg (Demetri Martin), an interior designer (who does so happen to fit the gay stereotype of his profession) and Bethel Chamber of Commerce president who inadvertently makes possible what has become the most defining music festival of a generation, and one of the most notable cultural events in American history.

Elliot’s parents own a shitty motel, most of the features of which serve as jokes throughout the opening credits. The decrepit property is repeatedly referred to ironically as a “resort,” while the pool remains waterless and the few customers who do stumble upon the health hazard-filled accommodations aren’t happy with their stays. Point is, the motel, which is run by Elliot and his parents, Jake (Henry Goodman) and Sonia (Imelda Staunton), is on hard times. Even harder, we find, when Elliot argues with a banker about funding for improvements to the property, which is already in debt, and his mother charges extra for just about everything to squeeze a dime out of the few customers the motel has.

Meanwhile, Elliot oversees the Bethel Chamber of Commerce, which is filled with geezers with barely enough energy to speak during the meetings, and a few middle-aged conservatives with little interest in asking the young president to sign off on permits. In the first encounter with the chamber, Elliot approves for himself a permit for a small annual music festival, which usually sees him playing vinyl for the townsfolk, but may have one local, live group this year.

Of course, protesters then push the scary hippies and the Woodstock festival out of a nearby town, and Elliot jumps to the rescue, citing Bethel’s wealth of open land. It takes some convincing of both the promoters, including some chocolate milk wining and dining by farmer Max Yasgur (Eugene Levy), and the townspeople, but Elliot takes charge with the music festival permit he approved for himself, whether it is totally legal or not. And before the town knows it, the grandest music festival of all time has been set in motion.

At the core of the film is the conflict between young and old generations, change, peace versus war, and acceptance versus intolerance, traditional versus liberal. But it seems as though Lee does not fully understand what he wants the film to be, or possibly he is confused by this iconic American experience itself. Taking Woodstock is filled with comedy actors, from Martin, to Levy, to Dan Fogler (Balls of Fury, Fanboys), who lives in the motel’s barn with a performance troupe that is much too progressive to be seen by the town. This plays out in one scene, where after a demonstration of their college-level theater skills, the entire troupe strips nude and taunts its elder audience to much outrage. Only Billy (Emile Hirsch), a shellshocked Vietnam veteran from the neighborhood, seems to enjoy it, and shows his approval by likewise stripping down and flopping about to the dismay of his father.

Liev Schreiber (X-Men) plays Vilma, a drag-queen security guard with whom Elliot’s traditional Russian father somehow finds a bond. Though Jake loves her, his wife is a penny-pinching wench, so he finds a moment of escape in Vilma and the festival. Vilma seems to be in the film as more of a joke, though, than (s)he is part of the strange versus conventional equation.

Taking Woodstock can be funny, but it also seeks serious relevance in its lighthearted undertaking, focusing not on the concert itself (viewers never get an actual glimpse of any performance, though the music of the era plays throughout), but the backstage stories surrounding Elliot, who is awakened in the midst of the movement. He is a homosexual, or at the very least bi-curious, but it is not until the festival comes around that he starts to understand these feelings and has an avenue to test the waters in his otherwise podunk town.

The problems are that anyone familiar with Martin’s stand-up career will have a difficult time picturing him outside of that role, and Lee just doesn’t have the touch to meld strong comedy with emotion the way Judd Apatow has with his "comedies with heart" like Knocked Up. The comedy doesn’t always hit its mark and the drama is sometimes hard to swallow because of the cast and the pervading humor vibe surrounding them. The two elements weaken each other, rather than enhance the film.

Lee also fails to recreate (this young reviewer can only image) what it must have felt like to be present at Woodstock, but not for lack of effort. The costume and set designs are great, enhanced by the cinematography, with all three working together to make Taking Woodstock look like it could have been cleaned-up stock footage from the era. He also includes a five-minute acid trip scene that provides an avenue to awakening Elliot, who up until this point has turned down pot all but one time (and, of course, he accepts at the wrong time). But swirling colors aren’t enough to make viewers feel like they were there.

The biggest kudos for the film, though, and where Taking Woodstock does strike the right tone, must go to Lee and cinematographer Eric Gautier (Into the Wild), who set up and brilliantly filmed a scene that follows a police motorcycle taking Elliot to the festival up a street that has become a parking lot and circus all in one. As the long shot tracks down the street, viewers see all kinds of interesting people and things along the way, essentially distilling the entire movement, event and culture onto one street and into one incredible shot.

The brilliant points are undermined, however, by the overall tone of the film, which never seems to find its footing. Taking Woodstock tries to be too much in too many areas, and ultimately lacks a clear point of view in any particular aspect to be a powerful film. And it hurts in a big way that there is a lack of focus on the music. While Lee is right to focus on a small group and particular person to show how the movement impacted real people, a big part of it was the music and he misses that point. That said, for the moments where it does shine, Taking Woodstock can be an entertaining film, enjoyable despite the disorder it creates. Viewers just shouldn’t expect it to expound on any of the glimmers of brilliance it teases.

Columbus - Andrew Dost

Columbus
Andrew Dost

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
Released: Dec. 2, 2008
Label: Paper + Plastick

Review by: Bill Jones

The debut solo album from Andrew Dost, formerly of Anathallo, is a concept album, or maybe the music to a play, or maybe a musical, loosely based on the stories of Christopher Columbus. It is aptly titled, Columbus.

While this reviewer would be the first in line to write-off the idea as ridiculously pretentious, self-indulgent and just downright silly, Dost’s musical talents – and an assortment of cameos from musicians such as Nate Ruess, of The Format, and Chris Fafalios and Steve Soboslai of Punchline – bring the DIY project together into something strangely, unavoidably appealing.

From the album’s opener, “Overture (Come Morning, Come Morning),” Columbus feels exactly like what it is, an indie-infused high school or college musical written by an incredibly creative and ambitious student. Dost reportedly penned a play about Columbus in his college days, and went back to the project and finally brought the songs to life with the help of Protools and some friends.

From the gang vocals and the solos of a crew introducing itself in “What’s An Adventure Without a Crew,” to the ever unfolding story that is told from song to song, to the plot twist in “One Many Mutiny,” to the stage piano that works its way through each song, every second of Columbus begs the listener to imagine the play unfurling on stage, all leading up to the big medley at the end.

It works in large part because Dost has a good sense of humor about the project, with song titles like “Dude! I See Land” and his liberal retelling of history. It also works because he is an incredibly talented musician who is able to write, perform, record and produce everything himself. Columbus is brilliant in every respect, with catchy tunes and entertaining lyrics from track 1 to 17.

*Note: The album was reviewed with a digital copy provided by Paper + Plastick. The album is also available in vinyl, reportedly in maroon or amber swirl, with a 12-inch by 16-inch color cover and “secret envelope.” Anything that makes or breaks the physical purchase of Columbus was not covered in this review.

Dear Friends and Gentle Hearts - American Steel

Dear Friends and Gentle Hearts
American Steel
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Released: July 21, 2009
Label: Fat Wreck Chords

Review by: Bill Jones

American Steel has always sounded a bit too derivative of its punk counterparts, with varied albums and songs still finding comparisons to other acts all too easily. And shaking the overt Alkaline Trio similarities has proven difficult. In its variety, the band produced great songs, but never quite nailed a sound of its own.

But the band’s return to the American Steel moniker in 2007, after going on hiatus to become Communiqué, brought with it a different approach in the darker, grittier, more cut-and-dry punk. It seemed to have a sound of its own, though it was hit and miss in terms of fan response. And while Destroy Their Future kicked ass in its own right, Dear Friends and Gentle Hearts sounds like a return to form in many ways, but with an improved maturity in the songwriting, and what feels like a fresh, rejuvenated songwriting approach.

“Emergency House Party” opens the album with a guitar intro that brings to mind the heyday of pop-punk on Drive-Thru. It quickly moves into an opening chorus that reminds of Trio, followed by a chorus that has the déjà vu feeling of something that The Lawrence Arms fans have gotten drunk and sung along to in the pit at The Metro in Chicago.

So, the band is back to sounding like other bands, but maybe that’s not a bad thing. One listen through Dear Friends and Gentle Hearts and it is evident that American Steel is pulling from more influences than ever before. And even if those influences aren’t masked by a totally original twist, American Steel seems to be doing Alkaline Trio better than Skiba and company have been able to in years. They’re providing a new Lawrence Arms sound that hasn’t been missing since the release of Oh! Calcutta!

And maybe that’s the true appeal of American Steel. It is clear that they have a lot of the same favorite bands as their fans, and it has never been clearer that they love making the music they are. Only American Steel can tie together the melodies to pull off a creepy song like “Safe and Sound,” follow it up with the incredibly poppy vibe of “Your Ass Ain’t Laughing Now,” revert to brooding with a tune called “The Blood Gets Everywhere,” only to lull listeners with some beach-themed guitar work that launches into a balls-to-the-wall rock chorus in “From Here to Hell.” Dear Friends and Gentle Hearts may be the best addition to American Steel’s catalog yet.

Fluent in Stroll - Big D & The Kids Table

Fluent in Stroll
Big D & The Kids Table

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars
Released: July 7, 2009
Label: SideOneDummy

Review by: Bill Jones

Picture being a judge during the Olympic Games. A promising young gymnast steps up to the mat. It is commonplace to expect the next trivial evolution of her routine – a simple reorganization of many of the moves seen throughout the day by other competitors in the event, ideally with a marginally better performance.

And then something beautiful happens.

The gymnast gets rid of the proverbial safety nets and mats, and launches into a routine that is entirely new and exciting. On the surface, the routine is not dissimilar to decades of other performances, but she is reinventing the rules and launching herself into unknown territory, uncertain of where things are going, inventing as she moves, and the landing isn’t guaranteed.

The moves aren’t perfect – some of the techniques are abrasive (possibly unnecessarily), it might alienate traditional fans and the performance has a few notable flaws – but how does one take away from something so beautiful. The idea of letting go, experimenting, truly performing, it’s…cool.

Such is the feeling of listening to the latest from Allston favorites Big D & The Kids Table, but then the gymnast turns out to be a “tough little ninja” and escapes on an elephant with vocalist David McWane. Fluent in Stroll is an amalgamation of hopscotch, double dutch, soul, ska and reggae that the band calls “stroll,” and that sounds about right.

While judging a book by its cover is almost always shunned, the cover of Fluent in Stroll has an odd way of letting the listener know exactly what he or she is in for. On it, a women with bright red lipstick, a cigarette in hand, and a 1950s-looking bikini top and hairstyle, stands with all sorts of shapes and figures seemingly emanating from her eyes, with the objects and background dressed in faded colors that give it a retro vibe. And somehow, that image perfectly describes the sounds to be found on the album’s 14 tracks.

Fluent in Stroll sounds like the album that should be playing in a Cadillac convertible on a perfect sunny day at the beach, decades ago, and more so than any other album has humbled this reviewer into realizing that sometimes there are no 1,000 words that can create the same experience as just listening to the music. And Fluent in Stroll is well worth that listen.

Big D & The Kids Table is a band of real musicians, in the strictest sense of the word. If the band’s catalog to date hasn’t proven to fans that the Boston natives are much more than a “ska” band, Fluent in Stroll surely will. Never content with doing the same thing twice, rehashing ideas or conforming to a particular sound, the classically trained musicians have dabbled in everything from straight-up punk , to a Strictly Rude vibe, to all-out dub (Salem Girls), and even a gangsta rap back in the day. And six full-length albums into the band’s career, those changes have never felt forced or pretentious – well, maybe with the exception of that hip-hop oddity – but rather like intelligent musicians candidly experimenting with new ideas while paying tribute to favored genres, despite the risk of alienating fans that like one sound or another, constantly staying relevant in the process. Fluent in Stroll isn’t perfect, but the creativity is a thing of beauty.

Super Soul Fighters [Browsing Bands #1]

Amidst an incredibly hectic schedule, I still find time to surf the web for new bands on occasion. Sometimes I read reviews and search the bands. Other times I blindly scan the go-to for new bands to try to make a name for themselves amidst a sea of thousands upon thousands of other new bands trying to make names for themselves, Myspace. I get friend requests from bands who think they match my musical interests. The requests are often denied, but every once in awhile a rare gem presents itself.

The hit percentage is a little better with the bands that actually email me directly from my review work on other websites. But my latest "find" actually came from one of the better sources I've found for new music, actual recommendations from bands I already enjoy. The latest find and first installment in my "Browsing Bands" series is The Super Soul Fighters.

A lot of high school band's cover a hell of a lot of songs, usually making the act not much of a news point, but this one seems worth mentioning as Big D & The Kids Table even gave it a nod in the band's Myspace blog.

The six-piece band that calls itself The Super Soul Fighters, out of Granger, Ind., posted a cover of Big D's "Steady Riot," from Strictly Rude. The cover doesn't quite have the same charm, mostly notably lacking David McWane's vocal approach, but it is still quite a fun listen. It has its own charm, of a young group of guys who formed a band only two years ago having fun playing the music they love. It just has a very cool vibe to it.

And if that weren't enough, the band has also posted a cover of The Aquabats' "Super Rad," as well as a two original tracks, called "Sudo Whore" and "Here We Go," which aren't half bad. What might be more heartening about the find is knowing that there are still young bands not only starting bands to perform ska (third-wave, fourth? fifth? whatever one wants to call it), and not only that but taking influences from the right sources, like Big D and The Aquabats.

Are they the next wave of ska. No, at least not yet. The originals are a bit too derivative of what is already out there, but the band is headed in the right direction. If nothing else, they put a smile on my face when I visited the page.

Readers can check out The Super Souls Fighters HERE.

The Original Cowboy - Against Me!

The Original Cowboy
Against Me!

Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
Released: July 7, 2009
Label: Fat Wreck Chords

Review by: Bill Jones

It is hard to hate The Original Cowboy, as the core material (demos of what was to become As the Eternal Cowboy) is a great throwback to the rougher-around-the-edges folk-punk days of Against Me! And it does serve as a great reminder of where Against Me! came from, whether fans have fallen in line with or grown tired of the smoother sounds created on New Wave.

But at its core, giving Eternal Cowboy the proverbial spin could almost accomplish the same thing. Original Cowboy’s major success and fault is that it doesn’t differ much from the finished product, but rather offers diehard fans an opportunity to listen to how Eternal Cowboy might have turned out if the band had self-produced the album, rather than sign to Fat and hit the studio for a re-recording.

A majority of the cuts are simply demo versions of those that appeared on the album, with the only major difference being production as far as any casual listener will be concerned. The only notably different song is “Unsubstantiated Rumors,” which has a much more aggressive and dirty punk approach, with a heavier bass line on Original Cowboy. It was cleaned up as more of an acoustic folk-punk tune for the final release. But the rest of the songs feel all too familiar to warrant a second purchase, with one of the eight, “Cavalier Eternal,” being (or at least sounding like) an identical track. And, coincidentally, “Unsubstantiated Rumors” is the free mp3 offered on Fat Wreck’s site.

Still, this reviewer suspects the old-school Against Me! fans who didn’t find these tracks one way or another years ago will enjoy the release, despite its familiarity. There are subtle differences that offer insight into Tom Gabel’s songwriting. Diehards may even enjoy arguing, as Gabel reportedly wondered about re-recording the tracks, whether The Original Cowboy is actually the superior - or at least a comparable - edition. But it is ultimately a moot point, as Eternal Cowboy was the album released back in 2003, and Original Cowboy is now its slightly different counterpart. Its worth is wholly determined by whether the particular listener is a fanatic or casual listener.

*Note: Fat Wreck Chords provided a digital copy of the album for review. The artwork and liner notes were not covered in this review, and whether they have any bearing on the entire package’s worth is unknown.

Rock Band to get network for artists and labels [News]

MTV and Harmonix announced a new initiative last month that is set to let artists and labels promote and sell their music through the Rock Band downloadable service.

The program, called Rock Band Network, will allow artists and labels to author their music as gameplay files that can be sold as playable tracks for Rock Band through a new Rock Band Network Music Store, according to the release. The initiative was reportedly designed to to give both established and upcoming artists a new opportunity for promotion and revenue.

"The Rock Band Network enables songwriters and musicians – at any stage of their careers – to create their own paths through the interactive music realm," said Paul DeGooyer, Senior Vice President, Electronic Games and Music, MTV Networks Music Group. "Our download store has been an extraordinary success, and it’s exciting for us to provide access to our platform through this uniquely elegant solution."

An open beta is set to launch later this month in the United States with a toolset for bands and labels. The testing and publishing service, however, will only be available for premium members of Microsoft's XNA Creators Club, which runs $49.99 for four months, or $99.99 per year.

Songs are to be submitted, playtested and peer reviewed at creators.rockband.com, and once approved appear in the store for 30 days, according to the announcement. Artists will be able to choose pricing based on a provided tier. Gamers will reportedly be able to demo the songs for free before purchase. Tracks are set to start appearing this fall. Details on whether the service with hit the PlayStation Network were not included in the release.

Deep Elm signing bands, releasing new records [News]

Deep Elm Records, purveyor of indie awesomness, announced last month plans to release eight new albums. The announcement came after a hiatus with the label. It is unclear what those eight albums may be, but the label said more announcements are to follow.

"Deep Elm Records believes in the power of music to inspire, excite, comfort and console. We always have and we always will. We all need what music gives us. Think about the records you love so dearly...the songs that make you smile and the songs that make you cry. Now imagine they never existed. There needs to be a label that continues to believe...even when the music industry is in decline and facing its most difficult challenges. That label is Deep Elm...and we will continue to release the best independent recordings available today. Deep Elm remains strong, alive and committed to both its bands and fans worldwide. We are currently singing bands worldwide."

Bands interested in submitting music to Deep Elm can find more information HERE.