New Music

Since the year began, a few bands have entered my Zen and are making me giddy. New music has always made me happy and excited for the memories that are going to be associated with them.


In January or February, the band Four Year Strong found its way onto my laptop (through bittorrents, of course), and into my ears.
FYS is a hardcore-pop-punk-ish (also can be known as "pop-core" or "happy hardcore") band from the New England area. Normally I'd probably hate these guys, but at times they have a very melodic, upbeat punk-ish feel to them, and the way they blend their upbeat vocals, their poppy guitar breakdowns and synths, it really turns out to be pretty fun.
Most people I know who listens to these guys, really love their most popular songs: Heroes Got Remembered and Catastrophe. Both songs a really good song, but are poppier than their other songs.
One of their songs, Put You On, really captured my attention. It starts off with a rather raw feel to it, the vocals are not polished much. Also, this song has very little keyboard action, which is great for me because keyboards are a little annoying at times.
Put You On, though, is a fun song. Great to sing along to, and I bet fun to move around to when live. The end of the song is really what I love. Why, you ask? Go find out. Go be a pirate, jeez.

Four Year Strong song suggestions:
Put You On
Your Song
Men are from Mars, Women are from Hell
Abandon Ship or Abandon All Hope
The Bitter Taste of Victory
Bada Bing! Wit A Pipe!
http://www.myspace.com/fouryearstrong





Another band that I've listened to for a while now, but has recently been put back into my spotlight of listening is Reel Big Fish-- one of the grand-daddies of Ska Punk.
They formed in Southern California in the 90s, and are probably best known for their big hit "Sell Out."
RBG is a fun, upbeat band too, with great ska-like qualities. With a lot of orchestral instruments such as the trumpet and the trombone, it makes you want to shake your hips a little bit. Your dog could have just died and if you listened to any of their songs, you'd be dancing around.
"Dog? What dog?"
Lyrically, they're pretty funny. In Sell Out, they talk about the music industry. "Sell out with me oh yeah, the record company is going to give me lots of money and everything's going to be alright..." This song was considered a One Hit Wonder in the 90s, and many older fans only like this song. Of course, there's always a handful of idiots who only like one song by a good band. Losers.
Or lyrics by RBG that make me laugh/smile/etc. include:
Trendy
everybody's
doin' the fish
yea! yea! yea!
everybody's doin' the fish, yea, yea,
yea...

it's not so bad bein' trendy
everyone who looks like me is my friend
please don't hate me because i'm trendy
they're not gonna laugh at me again.

Ban the Tube Top Tonight:
You're 17, evil and mean, comfy and cozy, nowhere scene,
You can't deny the loser inside, all of your bad taste won't subside
You're outta sight you keep me up at night you dress funny strapless and skin tight
You're outta sight you keep me up at night you make me crazy you wear it out of spite
Ban the tube top tonight
You're magical mystery girl, tick tock you don't stop a rockin' my world
You give high fives to all the guys, you let me know that I'm alive

If you like Ska bands, I suggest Reel Big Fish. They're a lot of fun!!

Reel Big Fish Song Suggestions:
Take On Me (cover)
Sell Out
Beer
Drunk Again
Ban the Tube Top Tonight
Alternative, Baby
Where have you been?
http://www.myspace.com/reelbigfish






This next band I saw live in October when I went to see Dead To Me and The Draft at the Knitting Factory.
The Gaslight Anthem is a great, great band from New Jersey (oxymoron, right? "Great" and "New Jersey" are not usually said under the same breath...) with an older punk feel. Listening to them, Hot Water Music and a few Against Me! moments popped into my head.
With vocalist Brian Fallon's folky, raw, bluesy, Tom Gabel-Chris Wollard feel to them, it really makes this band a unique, breath of fresh air kind of band for punk today.
TGA have a lot of other great punk qualities, too, such as their lyrics. Singing about their hard luck, lost loves, and their home state- New Jersey, they make you want to sing along with them.
Some great lyrics by them are:
Boomboxes and Dictionaries
I took a drive today, thought about you. Thought about a friend who passed, and how much we just went through. I saw the sun shine off the hood of a Cadillac, I thought about some things I'd say, and some I would take back. I thought about how fortunate I feel to be alive.

I Could'a Been a Contender
I'm broke and I'm hungry, I'm hard up and I'm lonely I been dancing on this killing floor for years And of the few things I am certain I'm the captain of my burden I'm sorry doll, I could never stop the rain Once you said I was your hero, you would dance with me on a dime We could spin this world right right right round, And catch back up on the flip side I was gonna get this real big engine, I was gonna get them Broadway Stars You were gonna be my Judy Garland, We were gonna share your Tin Man heart

This band is great, and they know it. In the past six months they've gained much recognition in the North East, and I have a feeling they are going to follow other great bands such as HWM and Against Me!
So, if these guys are ever near your town- drop everything and go see them live!

The Gaslight Anthem Song Suggestions:
(anything off of Sink or Swim, really)
Boomboxes and Dictionaries
I Could'a Been a Contender
Wooderson
1930
Red in the Morning
http://www.myspace.com/thegaslightanthem






This next band is nothing like the previous suggestions, and to be honest, I really don't know how I feel about them yet.
Vampire Weekend recently hit airwaves and MTV, capturing many people under their unusual spell. Technically, they may be considered an "indie-pop" band, but I really don't know what I'd categorize them under. Many of their fans have suggested that they are "Afro-Pop," which is a jazzy-bluesy style of music. On their self titled album, the album has a lot of keyboarding and an interesting array of drums and drumming techniques. Their vocals hold a very indie-old time feel to them.
VW is made up of four guys who met while attending Columbia University in New York City- yup, they're already rich and yuppified, so maybe that means we don't have to worry about them selling out?
I really want to like these guys, but part of me is like "whattt??" They are a really bizarre bunch of dudes, but they have like this addictive sound to them that makes me want more. It's like a guilty pleasure.

Vampire Weekend Song Suggestions:
(anything off of Vampire Weekend)
Oxford Coma
A-Punk
Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa
One
http://www.myspace.com/vampireweekend










Other bands I've recently found include:

This Is Hell- A great hardcore-metalcore-blahblahcore band from Long Island, NY. They aren't something brand new and exciting to this "-core" world, but they're a lot of fun with great riffs, and loud, fast vocals. I suggest you check them out for sure.
http://www.myspace.com/thisishell

Daggermouth- These Canadian hardcore-punks are for a great listen. Their lyrics are your typical hardcore-punk "fuck yous," but they're awkward vocals and fast pace make it pretty fun to listen to.
http://www.myspace.com/daggermouth
I Am The Avalanche- These guys are very similar to Daggermouth, but maybe a bit more punk. They hold a large hardcore-pop-punkish vibe, and instrumentally they're really good. The vocals are where the whole "pop-punk" comes in, but don't get put off by that-- the organization of the instruments and vocals is what makes these guys different from the others.
http://www.myspace.com/iamtheavalanche

Walls of Jericho- I've listened to these guys for a few years- thanks to my friend Lynda from back home- and they're great. Female hardcore vocals (not like Otep, Crisis, Kittie, or Arch Enemy, so don't become discouraged) with amazing guitars and breakdowns. What more could you ask for? You need to listen.
http://www.myspace.com/wallsofjericho

Ludo- These guys are weird. I don't know how to describe them, really. So go listen.
http://www.myspace.com/ludo






And here are other bands/artists that if you don't know of, you're fucking stupid:

Ingrid Michaelson (indie)
http://www.myspace.com/ingridmichaelson

Cat Power (amazing indie artist)
http://www.myspace.com/catpower

Alkaline Trio (old punk band-- NEW CD OUT JULY 1ST!)
http://www.myspace.com/alkalinetrio

Against Me! (amazing punk-folk band)
http://www.myspace.com/againstme

Finch (great hardcore band)
http://www.myspace.com/finchmusic

The Black Keys (good rock n' roll-blues band)
http://www.myspace.com/theblackkeys

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
http://www.myspace.com/blackrebelmotorcycleclub