“Punk Rocksteady” is a neato concept cd. From what I gather, the Mad Caddies and Fat Mike came up with the idea of doing some Rocksteady, Reggae, Ska, etc. covers of classic Punk songs. And, if you come at this cd from the angle of enjoying it for what it is, you’ll love it. Weeks ago, I was on social media and I read that the Mad Caddies did a Reggae cover of Green Day’s She. I listened to it and thought: “Nope. Nice try, but will everyone quit stroking Green Day’s ego? They’re claiming that they are God’s favorite band.” Tho, to listen to the entire “Punk Rocksteady” album, it makes sense..all the songs do. Individually, they are open to criticism…but as a collective they are poignant.

The cover of Bad Religion’s Sorrow is moving, to say the least. The lyrics really work well in the genre setting. A couple years ago I lived in Florida for a winter. I worked at a pizza restaurant with a bunch of Haitian refugees…who listened to Reggae all day long. It was like a Music History/Appreciation class. Sorrow really gives me the same vibe as real Reggae. Seriously, if you kinda don’t give a crap about this sort of thing but wanna be Punk-woke, at least listen to Sorrow from “Punk Rocksteady”.

The second song’s bass is just phenomenal. We all know that the whole Rocksteady/Ska/Reggae realm of music is good for bassists and bass lovers. But Sleep Long is splendiferous. I sat in my car in a parking lot just enveloped in that bass tone. Sure, the rest of the tunes have stellar bass recordings, but Sleep Long just sticks out like a fat female vocalist in a Pop Country video.

The funnest tune is Sink, Florida, Sink. If that doesn’t make you wanna dance, then you probably don’t like dancing.

I dunno…initially, I listened to this cd 3 or 4 times in a row. Not just cuz I have to for this gig…nope. I just really took to it. I was in a mood where I just wanted something uplifting. It was a nice day. Bright enough for sunglasses but not hot enough to sweat while standing around…so I took a drive. Ended up in a parking lot eating chips listening to “Punk Rocksteady”. It seemed to make me agree with the world. I had that “F-it, it’s almost summer…I don’t see any civil unrest..people are just coexisting in harmony from what I can tell…I’ll just listen to this here cd and not worry about what opinions journalists are editorializing about” mentality. It was a fine time. I even had to pick up a family member…who leans Right, so to speak. The album seemed to make him mad. Like it wasn’t American enough to be worthy of listening to. So that made me chuckle to myself. Not that I’m some whiny Leftist that wants to make it to where we can’t laugh at Daniel Tosh’s humor, no. I’m just saying that Punk Rocksteady has the potential to frustrate fools. So yeah. #PunkRock

I then spent a few days not listening to but thinking about the cd. I thought about how I’ve never been a Mad Caddies fan. I always respected them as a band. You know how it goes…some bands are around and you’ve heard a few songs and were like: “Okay. Not bad. Maybe one day I’ll wind up a super-fan.” but that day never comes. Lots of the 3rd Wave Ska was…well…it seemed to linger. Even upon first coming out, bands like the Mad Caddies just seem to linger. They didn’t seem to punctuate anything…just exist knowingly.(Think of how Jughead’s Revenge was to Punk.) I honestly wish I liked them more…along with a lot of the 3rd Wave stuff but it’s just so meh.

After days of not listening to “Punk Rocksteady”, I couldn’t will myself to listen to it. I lost myself to the idea that Punk is basically a traveling carnival. You pay your way to get in to the show, for a few hours you get to act like it’s actually part of reality, and then you leave, go home, and the world isn’t a carnival. I don’t know about you, but I never see punkers. We’re so rare that when I see one of us in public I think: “Why are you out and about? You should be inside. Don’t you know that society hates us?” Sure, we can start Punk bands but what is that other than living in poverty and trying to impress those above glass ceilings? Any unsigned Punk and/or Ska bands that don’t want to burn Fat Wreck and Hellcat to the ground at least a little bit aren’t anti-establishment at all.

Ever since ol’ what’s-his-face became president, I consider poverty differently. I look at most products and think: “Is this more important than feeding the starving?” As neato as “Punk Rocksteady” is, I think the money that went into making it would have been better spent feeding the starving. But, the cd exists. If you go to the Fat Wreck store on their website, you can download the album for $10…or you can buy the cd w/ digital download for $10.

I’ll let you think about that for a moment.

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Understand that I have a bit of the Asperger’s Syndrome…so sometimes what makes sense to most people is just lost to me. When I was a younger human being, a cd cost about $12. I got into my own band when I was older than the previous younger. We recorded a cd. I realized that cds cost around $12 cuz you had to pay for recording, legal fees, packaging/distribution, and a few other things. When the MP3 craze took over Pop and helped MTV convince the masses that music isn’t worthy of attention, it seemed like the cost of a digital copy of an album would be much less. Even if the labels/bands were still trying to recoup costs (don’t think about paying $1 for a download of something off Blink 182’s Enema of the State these days…seriously, don’t)….even if recouping is still a concern, wouldn’t the price of packaging/distributing be taken out of the price of digital downloads?

I’m sure you’re like: “Well, logically yes. But people can charge whatever they want for the products they create. That’s capitalism.” Yes, and capitalism is ruining America faster than bipartisanship. I, personally, have contacted pros about this mathematical disaster and they act like I’m crapping on Punk. I’m all like: “Look it: You’re the ones that are supposed to be creating an image of self-sufficiency in the industry. Don’t come at me with terrible math acumen and complain about how song sales aren’t as high as you’d like. Sell your product for a reasonable price and people won’t feel ripped off and complacent, you knuckleheads.” But I sperg. I go nowhere.

So yeah, you can spend a ten dollar bill on digital or click the other button and get an actual physical copy of the cd also…and don’t you dare believe the hype shoved down our throats by the tech companies. People still have cd players. There are people that still have their record players from the 1970s…you gonna tell me that absolutely everyone that ever owned a cd player just up and threw them out because our phones are supercomputers? C’mon.

I woke up this morning and had to run a quick errand. I turned on the local Alternative Rock station in the car and instead of some histrionic, loudmouth morning dj, they were playing Rancid’s Ruby Soho. I guess it set the tone for my day. A blast from the past. Here’s to never having a blast of the present.

The Mad Caddies’ “Punk Rocksteady” is a decent buy…but I’d say it’s only worth $3 digitally…and it’s an album that deserves to be bought on sale. So like $2.25. That’s not me devaluing the songs, no. I think that’s more of a rational valuation of digital music. Charging as much for digital as you would a cd is highway robbery and we punkers have been getting screwed over so much by the pros over the years that we just plain enjoy being ripped off.

“Punk Rocksteady” seems like a cd that could be important to music.

Here’s to overwhelming amounts of importance.

4/5 Stars

Well hello there. Looks like Richmond, Virginia’s Park Sparrows, which features Strike Anywhere bassist Garth Petrie, have quietly released a brand new EP. It’s titled “More Peace” and you can stream all 4 of its tracks on spotify.

Holy Crap this year has totally gotten away from me.  It’s almost half over and I feel like I haven’t done a damn thing but work, sleep, and drink.  I was supposed to review Creeper Eternity in Our Arms.  I dunno.  I think enough has been said about that album.  I tried to put pen to paper but could find no motivation.  It didn’t help that during my listening I said to my wife “Don’t these guys remind you of Alkaline Trio.”  She replied, “They remind me of Meat Loaf.”  Ooof.

I don’t know whether it’s Trump in the Whitehouse or what, but it’s just hard to get motivated to do anything.  And nothing is moving me from my inertia.  Finally a beacon of hope.  Midwest Punk Fest in my home town of Bloomington IL.  While going through some of the bands, I stumbled upon Turnspit.  I know Turnspit because they are on Dodgeball and Mike Felumlee of Smoking Popes (Alkaline Trio, Bigger Empty, etc.) is associated with that outfit.  I’ve been meaning to give this a listen and now I’ve got a good reason!  So I start my first review of the year with a band that is playing Midwest Punk Fest and also happens to have a fairly new record, Desire Paths.

Turnspit is a four piece out of Chicago.  They play catchy pop punk alternating between female (Gillian McGhee) and male (Jason Swearingen) vocals.  Dan Tinkler (Drums) and Bradley Davis (Bass) provide the rhythm.  The first thing that will catch your attention as you spin Desire Paths is Gillian McGhee’s powerful voice.  You have to put it up there with the best and I just can’t pin it down who she reminds me of.  Is it Karen O?  Natalie Merchant?  Patti Smith? Erica Freas (RVIVR)?  I’m torn, but safe to say she’s in good company.

Let’s get to the record.  The opener Irish Name puts Gillian’s powerful wail on full display.  She’s hitting some notes here and without losing any musicality.  Should pique most folks interest.  It also has that jump you’d expect from Chicago punk.  That jump probably resulted from the production at Atlas Studios, a Chicago institution.  I’m not sure if the mighty Matt Allison was on the boards for this, but it has that bite and super clean production that he is known for.  No doubt Atlas allows the best of Turnspit to shine through on Desire Paths.  Breath Taking pops up next and it reminds the listener that Turnspit has two distinctly different vocalists.  This dichotomy really intrigues me because, as Gillian can be sharp and biting, Jason is gruff and low.  Walk Away makes you want to get up and dance, it hearkens back to 80s power pop, you’ll catch the Natalie Merchant vibe previously noted.  Apologies, I have so, so many features both vocalists.  The interchange really works for the song and should get you in the feels if you’ve ever had a rocky relationship.  The title track, Desire Paths, allows Jason to show his vocal chops and you can play the game of who he reminds you of here, Ryan Young, Chuck Ragan?  Skin puts forth an important message about sexual abuse and female empowerment.  I applaud Gillian for having the guts to open up about these issues.  Home is run no more shows Turnspit knows how to bring the punk.  Given gives Jason a chance to open his heart in a jumpy acoustic number.  I don’t need to describe every song on the record!  If you are still reading, go to Dodgeball Records website and give it a listen!

The songs on Desire Paths come strong from beginning to end.  It’s eminently listenable and each track has its own identity.  Turnspit does a great job of keeping to the genre without becoming formulaic.  Desire Paths currently holds a spot in my top 10 of 2018.  Give it a spin.

4/5 Stars

Oh my God. Did I really get wasted while running the merch booth for Pears?

What was I thinking? Those guys are the most amazing people ever. They paid me seventy bucks to spill beer all over their merchandise. I was supposed to be slangin’ the goods!

In my defence, it was somewhat overwhelming. Pears is loaded! I hope I didn’t accidentally embezzle too many funds. I vaguely remember commenting on Zach Quinn’s Ugg Boots.

I am such an asshole.

I’m also irresponsible. Dude, Pears is fucking loaded!

…a few months before all that (over a year or so, now, and long before I was a writer at DyingScene) I had a very pleasant chat with Brian Pretus, Pears’ guitar player at Three Links over a couple large glasses of Horchata. Read through that conversation below. [Read more…]

Super Mario Kart song code unlocked.

Stream Bad Religion’s “Change of Ideas”, gamer style below.

😛

[Read more…]

Tiger Army have just released a video for “Enchantment” off the three song Dark Paradise EP, which was released June 22. This EP centers around a cover of “Dark Paradise” by Lana Del Rey with two surf/punk instrumentals.

“It takes me a while to write a full album, and we just wrapped up two full years of touring the last record, so we wanted to put a little something out there for fun to tide people over for the time we’re gone.” Nick 13 has said about the shorter surf-sounding EP. “this was a fun chance to just try a few things“.

Check out the video for the instrumental “Enchantment” below.

[Read more…]

Ontario punkers Shift-D have released a new EP with Thousand Islands Records.

Staying true to their mid-90’s roots, “This Message will Self-Destruct” is a fiery 8-track offering of skate punk ballads that probably will actually self-destruct inside your song lyric memory banks. Cool and thought out guitar parts twist around the punk rock backbone to bring you a collection of songs reminiscent of the glory days of punk rock music in the 90’s.

For fans of Goldfinger, 7 Seconds, Pulley be sure and give these guys a listen. Stream the album below. [Read more…]

It is strange to look out my window after listening to this album. The songs make me think of a 1990s post-apocalyptic film where the lands are decimated and tumbleweeds shift from left to right across a cracked road. The sun pours down more heat than usable energy and out of the distance walks a punker…maybe a few. The only people left for miles and they look somehow less crusty than some of these people that exist in real life in 2018 that have showers and many outfits. If this movie ever exists, the opening song that plays while the punkers walk toward the camera should be Scumbag, the first track off “…and the people you always have with you” by Regan Ashton.

When I look out my window, it’s just a regular ol’ post-hood neighborhood. Lower middle class living at its bestest. Such a weird dynamic.

This is a cool album. 6 songs. It’s like drunken hillbilly Punk for the fuck of it. If it was produced lousier, it could be considered backwoods mountain music. But, it’s definitely a grouping of songs that has intention. Ideally, I wish I could get really drunk and dance to it. I had plans to do just that, but by the time I was drunk, it was late and I just feel asleep. Sorry Regan. Maybe next time.

Regan is also in a band called Problem Daughter who released their last album thru Dying Scene Records, so I feel this weird apprehension about assessing it vs. how I might if it wasn’t. The Punk culture is supposed to be familyish, or whatever. Ultimately, I’ve not got many criticisms for “…and the people you always have with you”. It’s funny. Not comically funny…funny like when someone looks at your mohawk, hand tattoos, and body piercings and assumes you’re a nitwit, gives you a dirty look, and then goes back to their modestly awesome life while you have to go back to living in poverty cuz society craps most on the minorities it’s not illegal to marginalize. Ha. My only criticism is that this recording sounds too controlled. I dunno, it’s like now that recording is less expensive and lots of folk have home studios, everyone and their idiot mothers are releasing projects of all sorts but everyone seems to rely on metronomes way too much. And, it’s not a bad thing, mind you. I just feel like the live feel is stripped from modern recordings. Everything is perfect…in the John Feldmann sense of producing…and it feels like harnessed energy instead of free-flowing energy. Surely, I wasn’t there for the recording sessions for this release. Maybe Regan didn’t use metronomes at all. This album seems like most recordings these days. Very planned. Think of the last couple releases from Less Than Jake.

Anyway, beyond fitting into the current paradigm, “…and the people..” is neato. Lyrically, it seems to hone in on the Punk philosophy as it is in constant flux. Kinda gives me a Rancid vibe. That whole “I guess I’m a fuckup…dude, I just keep waking up whether I want to or not” thing. This album is very relatable. It’s very musical. It’s not stripped down. Regan, as I mentioned, is in Problem Daughter, and oftentimes solo projects can suck. This doesn’t. You may not like it if you are a Problem Daughter fan, but that also might you like it more. There’s so much music out there now that no one can keep up. Musicians be like: “Look at what we’re doing! You don’t have the time to pay attention to it all, but isn’t the artistic upheaval amazing?!”

I can’t help but feel an odd sense of malaise cuz of the album, tho. To a theoretical hell we should send those unfailing optimists, sure…but after listening to these 6 songs and agreeing, sympathizing, relating, etc….the feeling of absolute fuckitude lingers. Misery may love company, but this isn’t misery. It’s…well…um…perhaps we humans build up walls and live partially-delusive lives to protect us from the inescapable and bizarre. I guess it’s like: There is something about this album to where if I listened to it enough, it would make me cry. It’s that real. I don’t know about you, but I can’t cry unless music is playing. People I know have died and it didn’t really shake me, but if you put on Flogging Molly’s If I Ever Leave This World Alive, I’ll leave the room…out of earshot…cuz I just can’t take it.

As fun as “…and the people you always have with you” is, it just hits me on that kind of a level. And that’s not me sucking up to Dying Scene or Regan. It’s the song Failed Author. It just hones in on something real fucking deep. And, it’s not something you’d get if you just listened to only that song. I feel like when the album starts, Scumbag sets a tone…it made me think that the rest of the songs were going to continue that vibe…like it’s all gonna be fuck-it hilarity…but art reflects life…by the end, I was left with another lesson in “Life fucking sucks bro”. Life isn’t a let-down, nope. It’s just problematic because our imaginations get away from us and they take our hopes with them. Our hopes raise and then when you realize that it was all delusion, the reality that takes its place is just calm. Not exuberant. Not banal. Just inexplicable.

Tho, after that calm passes, you laugh to yourself. Maybe you look out your window and wonder if the kids playing basketball across the street will ever know the true depth of reflection. Maybe they’ll luck-out and live a life of innocence and ignorance like the rich folk and/or the religious folk that don’t even allow themselves the chance at truly knowing.

One cool thing about this album is that it made my mind go crazy with words. When I listen to Aesop Rock, it’s like my brain gets going and I have to write out a poem or whatever. This recording made that happen too.

So yeah, I like this cd.
“What’s a cd?” asked the kid.
If you don’t know what a cd is, you’re a nitwit. Your generation is overloaded with data by schools but you don’t know what a cd is? You think you are a Punk fan but you don’t know what a cd is?? Piss off.

The song Russian Blue is another favorite.
They’re all good, tho. Especially Junkyard Parakeet.
This cd sounds like something Cooper from The Devil Makes Three would dig.

5/5 Stars

Anyone following Dan Cribb lately will know he is busy with his The Worst Tribute Ever album of Simpson’s covers. However in between writing and demoing he managed to find himself alone and writing. It was during this moment of isolation where “Run Away” was born.

This is the first original music from Cribb since 2015’s split release with Alkaline Trio’s Derek Grant.

Check out this therapeutic pop-punk gem below.

[Read more…]