Screeching Weasel‘s Anthem For A New Tomorrow turns 30 this year, so naturally a reissue was in order. The album has been remixed by Mike Kennerty who, in addition playing guitar for the All American Rejects, has produced the last few Weasel LPs. I’ve seen plenty of people online taking exception to this record being […]
Screeching Weasel‘s Anthem For A New Tomorrow turns 30 this year, so naturally a reissue was in order. The album has been remixed by Mike Kennerty who, in addition playing guitar for the All American Rejects, has produced the last few Weasel LPs. I’ve seen plenty of people online taking exception to this record being “remixed” (and remastered by Justin Perkins at Mystery Room Mastering), which isn’t surprising. It’s a classic 90’s pop-punk record, one of the untouchables of the era. I understand the skepticism, but sometimes change is a good thing.
The sonic difference from the original release is instantly recognizable within the first few seconds of “I’m Gonna Strangle You”. The guitar tone is much cleaner, both the drums and bass are a lot more punchy and Pro Tools-ish, and Ben’s vocals cut through like never before. It almost sounds like they completely re-recorded the album, especially when you hear the keyboards on songs like “Totally”, “Peter Brady”, and “Every Night”. Purists will likely be turned off by the fact that the record has a much more polished feel; the sound is very similar to the band’s last three studio albums. Whether you like the direction they took on this reissue depends on your opinion of modern Screeching Weasel. If you’ve read my review of their latest LP, you know I’m a big fan of the band’s recent output.
Anthem For A New Tomorrow has always been my favorite Weasel album, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t benefit from this face lift. The crunchy guitars and overall muddy sound never bothered me too much, but this high fidelity reissue has given the record new life 30 years after its initial release on Lookout! Records. If you disagree, that’s cool. I get it. The good thing is the original version of the album still exists, so you can continue to listen to that and pretend this one doesn’t exist.
The 30th Anniversary Edition of Anthem For A New Tomorrow is available now on all major streaming platforms. Striped Music is releasing it on vinyl in Europe (the first pressing sold out but a second pressing is coming soon). Recess Records is handling US distribution, but hasn’t launched pre-orders yet. You can also get it on CD here, thanks to Rum Bar Records.
We are fortunate to bring the news that our buds from Voice of Addiction are heading out on the road this spring! We love when our friends go on tour, so here’s your chance to support some awesome dudes and a great band to boot! Check out their rad tour poster to see if they […]
We are fortunate to bring the news that our buds from Voice of Addiction are heading out on the road this spring!
We love when our friends go on tour, so here’s your chance to support some awesome dudes and a great band to boot! Check out their rad tour poster to see if they hit a city near you.
Legendary punk band JFA will be releasing a new album titled Last Ride this May on DC-Jam Records. Though its title seems to allude to this being the band’s swan song, guitarist Don Redondo says otherwise: “Last ride refers to ‘one more’ at the end of a skate or a surf session. You either bring […]
Legendary punk band JFA will be releasing a new album titled Last Ride this May on DC-Jam Records. Though its title seems to allude to this being the band’s swan song, guitarist Don Redondo says otherwise:
“Last ride refers to ‘one more’ at the end of a skate or a surf session. You either bring it (get a killer ride) or sometimes go for it to the point of slamming hard. Nobody does a safety run after saying ‘one more’ — while many skaters won’t even say ‘one more’ out loud (the mojo is that strong).”
Last Ride will be Jodie Foster’s Army’s first new album in over a decade, following 2010’s Speed of Sound. Original members Don Redondo and Brian Brannon are joined by longtime bassist Corey Stretz and drummer Jamie Reidling (US Bombs, TSOL, Big Drill Car, etc). Stay tuned for more info on the new record.
Per usual, Goldfinger put on a fun, lively show at House of Blues Anaheim on January 15. Although, no one in the crowd was expecting the Birdman himself, Tony Hawk, to join them on stage during the encore to sing their song Superman, arguably the most beloved song from the Tony Hawk Pro Skater video […]
Per usual, Goldfinger put on a fun, lively show at House of Blues Anaheim on January 15. Although, no one in the crowd was expecting the Birdman himself, Tony Hawk, to join them on stage during the encore to sing their song Superman, arguably the most beloved song from the Tony Hawk Pro Skater video game series.
So here I am, doing everything I can…
Goldfinger always puts on a nonstop party of a show, but what completed the night was the collaboration of the century with Tony Hawk taking the mic to sing Superman.
Zebrahead and the Planet Smashers opened the show. Zebrahead was revving up the crowd with wireless instruments galore. This band loves to sprint around the stage and keeps the energy high. Sadly we missed the Planet Smashers opening set. Stupid Orange County traffic. Next time, eh?
Check out a bunch more photos in the galleries down below! Including Tony Hawk! Did we mention Tony Hawk?!?
Hello friends, and welcome to this shiny new column where I, Dylan (otherwise known as Screeching Bottlerocket), tell you what new full-length albums, EPs, singles, and miscellaneous other punk-related news snippets I enjoyed the most this month. 2023 is off to a pretty strong start for punk rock, if you ask me. There’s already been […]
Hello friends, and welcome to this shiny new column where I, Dylan (otherwise known as Screeching Bottlerocket), tell you what new full-length albums, EPs, singles, and miscellaneous other punk-related news snippets I enjoyed the most this month. 2023 is off to a pretty strong start for punk rock, if you ask me. There’s already been a steady stream of announcements coming from members of the old guard like NOFX, the Bouncing Souls, and Less Than Jake; a lot of exciting newer bands are making their mark as well. Let’s talk about it!
For those who prefer to watch a video instead of reading, I’ll also be joining my friends at Punk Rock Radar to talk about the best new releases every month. If you like discovering awesome new punk bands as much as I do, I highly recommend following them on Instagram, checking out their Upcoming Release Calendar, and subscribing on YouTube.
The first album of 2023 to earn the distinguished honor of receiving a review by me is Quebec skate punk band Colorsfade‘s new LP Built From The Wreckage. This album is all killer, no filler in the most literal sense. Extremely heavy favorite for my end of year Top 10 list.
Liverpool, UK’s Mark Murphy & The Meds released their sophomore album Monochrome and it is quite enjoyable. This is a straight up old school pop-punk record that reminds me quite a bit of One Man Army. Highly recommended listening:
What the fuck’s going on up there in Canada? We’re only a month into the year and America’s Hat has put out two absolutely bangin’ skate punk albums. Winnipeg’s One of Us make a massive statement with their self-titled debut LP. No exaggeration, I think this is one of the best first albums I’ve ever heard.
Stanis is a very good band from Italy with a kinda Satanic Surfers / No Use For A Name hybrid sound. Their new EP is excellent; fast, melodic, great guitars, and killer drums. You should listen to it!
OLD SCARS Back to the Beginning
These guys kinda remind me of my fellow Floridians Against All Authority, except they don’t play ska… and they’re not from Florida. Anyway, Old Scars hail from Virginia Beach and their new 7-song EP Back to the Beginning is pretty fuckin’ good. Check it out if you like AAA or early Rancid:
My award 🏆 for Best Single of January goes to none other than the Bouncing Souls. The first two songs from Ten Stories High got me extremely hyped for the record. These tracks harken back to the Souls’ Anchors Aweigh era sound with big choruses and infectious hooks. I can’t wait til Ten Stories High releases in March and I can finally share my review with you fine people. Spoiler alert: the whole god damn album is just as amazing as these two songs.
DROPCASE
I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it again, and again, and again. One of my favorite things about my involvement with Dying Scene has always been discovering new bands. My favorite discovery this month was Orange County, CA ska band Dropcase. These up-and-comers fuse ska with Turnstile-ish hardcore and it works really well. Check out their latest single “Accelerated” below, and lookout for their debut album coming at some undetermined point in the future.
Anyone who knows me knows Less Than Jake is my favorite band. Imagine my excitement when I found out they were in the studio recording something. They haven’t announced plans for a new full-length album, but their new vlog series “This Week in Less Than Jake” does reveal it is new music they’re working on, so that’s pretty cool:
On an unrelated note, 2023 also marks the 25th Anniversary of Hello Rockview‘s release. Considering Losing Streak got a 25th Anniversary vinyl reissue in 2021, I think it’s safe to expect Rockview will get the same treatment this year – so that’s something else my fellow LTJ enjoyers have to look forward to.
NOFX announced the first round of US dates on their Final Tour. As far as I’m concerned, the coolest part of this news is that St. Pete, FL made the cut! They’ll be playing different albums in each city. My stop gets So Long and Thanks for All the Shoes, White Trash, Two Heebs and a Bean & The Decline. Fuck yeah! Fellow Tampa Bay residents: I’ll see you at Vinoy Park in September. This should have a fun old school Warped Tour kinda feel (read: a bunch of old punx collapsing from heat exhaustion because a bottle of water costs $10).
SoCal punk legends Strung Out are back in the lab working on LP # 10. I wasn’t the biggest fan of their last record, but I’m very anxious for what’s in store. Jason also has a new album coming soon from his side project Jason Cruz and Howl; we hosted the exclusive premiere for “Good Hands” music video so you should check that out.
AWESOME NEW “BAND”: DEAD ALRIGHT
Montreal’s Dead Alright is a brand new one-man skate punk band. The project is the brainchild of Brand New Lungs singer Louis-Charles Berthiaum. He already released two singles this month (both are great), and he’s going to continue to put out a steady stream of songs until a full-length album is completed and ready for release on Thousand Islands Records. I’m looking forward to hearing more from Dead Alright! For now, I recommend checking the first two singles out:
I also recently joined my friends at Punk Rock Radar to talk at greater length about some of the biggest new punk albums that are slated to release in 2023. We cover the Bouncing Souls, MxPx, Frenzal Rhomb, Diesel Boy, Strung Out, etc. and rank our excitement for each record on a scale of 1 to 10. Be sure to check that out (I can think of worse ways to kill 30 minutes 😉):
That concludes this first installment of the column. Thanks for checking it out! Hopefully you learned something new that enriched your life. Keep your eyes glued to Dying Scene for all things punk rock (check out our New Releases section! I’m trying to keep that stocked with cool new shit all the time), and join me again next month for the February edition of Dylan’s Favorite Punk Albums, EPs & Things.
Here’s a Spotify playlist with songs from most of the releases we talked about:
When Dying Scene last documented a live performance by The Brokedowns it was long ago. I jest, it was just about a month earlier, opening for The Arrivals on New Year’s Eve. This time, The Brokedowns headlined a sold-out show, with support by Dangerous Chairs, Chinese Telephones, and Permanent Residue. Big sounds in a small […]
When Dying Scene last documented a live performance by The Brokedowns it was long ago. I jest, it was just about a month earlier, opening for The Arrivals on New Year’s Eve. This time, The Brokedowns headlined a sold-out show, with support by Dangerous Chairs, Chinese Telephones, and Permanent Residue. Big sounds in a small venue added up a lively Saturday night at the popular Burlington Bar in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood.
This event was the official record release party for The Brokedowns‘ latest release, Maximum Khaki, on Red Scare Industries. The band members – Kris Megyery, Jon Balun, Eric Grossmann, and Mustafa Daka introduced the fans present to many of the songs off the new album, including “Obey the Fumes,” “Ernest Becker at a Costco,” “Chakra Updates,” “Samurai Sword Decontrol,” “Honk If You’re Horny,”
The bouncy melodies in many of the tunes made for soft serve deliveries delivery of some stinging commentary.
Take for instance, “Ernest Becker at a Costco.”
“Get in line for the offering you just can’t beat the price
Say c’est la vie to the sky-high fees
Say hello to paradise
I’m in the bargain bin
And I cannot decide
Between the shrink wrapped shit
Or the sweat shop skid.“
It is an immensely infectious ode to “Big Boxes” and those who find themselves entranced by them. At least, in my interpretation, and personally the song reminds me of the documentary, “Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price.”
The playful song titles and droll lyrics in Maximum Khaki translated live, with an onstage cameo by Chris Sutter of Meat Wave for the tune “Keep Branson Weird,” added up to a killer night of punk music.
Chinese Telephones, out of Milwaukee, WI, and around since 2004, have shared a bill with The Brokedowns in the past, so it was no surprise they fit so comfortably in this lineup.
Just after taking the stage lead singer Justin Telephone put on a pair of very dark sunglasses. He informed the crowd he wasn’t trying to look cool. Rather, the eyewear was to protect him from the bright lights as he was still recovering from a concussion. Head injury be damned, he, along with bandmates Daniel James, Andy Junk, and Logan Stang ripped through “I Can’t Be Right,” “Crying in the Chapel,” “Back to You Again,” “Live Like This,” “Stay Around.” It was a rowdy and fun set. Hopefully, Justin Telephone will soon be fully recovered.
Chicago’s Dangerous Chairs, is comprised of “Little Dave” Merriman from The Arrivals, Jim Mertz, Andy Cline, Chris “The Kid” Landefeld, and Brian Fee. It’s a new group with veteran musicians and a 2022 debut album, “Introducing Dangerous Chairs.” The record is loaded with evocative tunes. Among those in this night’s set were “Jeweler’s Lens,” “Slow Bleed,” “Regret Song,” “Statue,” and “Rooftops.” Just as The Brokedowns reminded me of another filmed piece of pop culture, so too did the Dangerous Chairs tune “Superman Is Painless.” It immediately made me think of a song from the iconic film M*A*S*H. An instrumental version of the tune also served as the theme for the equally iconic television adaptation. Turns out I had good reason. Per Merriman:
“It’s a play on Suicide is Painless, the theme to M*A*S*H, along with the fact that he commits suicide in the song and also that he would always feel no pain.” That’s a pretty heavy description with lyrics even heavier:
“Problematic Superman
As tired as he’s old
His emblem hides his broken heart
and his deeds all seem so cold…”
“...The only way to kill the man
Could only come from his own hand
And when we found him dead at least
You’d think we’d understood”
Apparently I was not the only one to think of the tragic story of the man who first played Superman. Merriman again,
“Andy, one of the guitarists, mentioned the George Reeves connection after it was named.”
Dangerous Chairs ventures into dark waters but does it so well. I am looking forward to hearing more from this group.
Permanent Residue, of Chicago, describes itself as “snotty pop punk.” The band, composed of Kate Manic, Jake Levee, Victor Lord Riley, and Vince Miller, wasted no time getting the crowd involved as it commenced the evenings proceedings. Lead singer Manic, with her furious vocals, led her bandmates through a pummeling set which included “Ogden Ave,” “Resignation,” “Oh Well,” “I Don’t,” and “Gilmour Girls.” Keep an eye and an ear out for Permanent Residue, a band that surely will leave its mark, not in name only.
Dying Scene is proud to bring you the exclusive premiere of The Speakeasy‘s new music video for their latest single “Bright Side“. This song offers the first taste of the Montreal punk band’s upcoming debut full-length album, coming later this year on Thousand Islands Records. If you like fast, melodic, feel-good punk rock, these guys […]
Dying Scene is proud to bring you the exclusive premiere of The Speakeasy‘s new music video for their latest single “Bright Side“. This song offers the first taste of the Montreal punk band’s upcoming debut full-length album, coming later this year on Thousand Islands Records.
If you like fast, melodic, feel-good punk rock, these guys are right up your alley. Check out the brand new music video for “Bright Side” below. Go here to listen to the song on the streaming platform of your choice and stay tuned for big things to come from The Speakeasy.
Jeff Rosenstock rocked the room at the Virgin Hotel’s 24 Oxford on January 10th, 2023. Las Vegas doesn’t get treated to too much touring bands other than Punk Rock Bowling but Jeff made it clear they were a town too special to skip. Cheekface opened up the show and delighted the crowd with hilarious, quip-filled […]
Jeff Rosenstock rocked the room at the Virgin Hotel’s 24 Oxford on January 10th, 2023. Las Vegas doesn’t get treated to too much touring bands other than Punk Rock Bowling but Jeff made it clear they were a town too special to skip. Cheekface opened up the show and delighted the crowd with hilarious, quip-filled songs that are just too catchy. The perfect show to kick off 2023.
Jeff Rosenstock and his very rad band kept the crowd jumping and singing along through the entire set. A perfectly paced show filled with heart, enthusiasm, and choruses you just have to shout along with.
Cheekface, or “America’s Local Band” opened the show with their patented witty, lyric-driven indie rock. This band is incredibly funny and smart, with a very sweet community.
Check out a bunch more shots from Jeff Rosenstock’s perfect set here, and Cheekface’s down below!
Suicide Machines singer Jason Navarro has revealed the Detroit ska-punk vets are writing new music. He made the announcement in a recent Instagram post, showing a whiteboard breaking down the structure of some new songs. Two of the songs written by himself are titled “Safe” and “Evil Sauce”. The other two written by guitarist Justin […]
Suicide Machines singer Jason Navarro has revealed the Detroit ska-punk vets are writing new music. He made the announcement in a recent Instagram post, showing a whiteboard breaking down the structure of some new songs. Two of the songs written by himself are titled “Safe” and “Evil Sauce”. The other two written by guitarist Justin Malek are named “Stealing Tips” and “Astonish (Black Metal)”.
Navarro doesn’t specify whether these songs will be featured on a new full-length album, but we’ll keep you posted as more details are revealed. The Suicide Machines released their last LP Revolution Spring through Fat Wreck Chords in 2020; it was their first new studio album in 15 years. They also put out a Split 12″ with Coquettish in 2022 on Bad Time Records.
Slick Shoes have revealed they are currently working on a new full-length album. The SoCal skate punk veterans made the announcement in their latest Instagram post, with pictures of themselves in the studio writing the album. Also noteworthy is that guitarist Greg Togawa is back with the band for the first time since their 2002 […]
Slick Shoes have revealed they are currently working on a new full-length album. The SoCal skate punk veterans made the announcement in their latest Instagram post, with pictures of themselves in the studio writing the album. Also noteworthy is that guitarist Greg Togawa is back with the band for the first time since their 2002 self-titled album. They don’t say how far along in the process they are, so it’s hard to tell whether this record will be part of the growing list of awesome releases 2023 has in store. Fingers crossed!
This announcement comes as a bit of a surprise, considering the 17 year gap between the band’s 2020 comeback LP Rotation & Frequency and its predecessor Far from Nowhere. It’s a welcome surprise nonetheless, and I’m looking forward to seeing what direction they take.
Some of the songs on Rotation & Frequency had a slightly heavier sound than their earlier work so it’ll be interesting to see if they continue to lean into that or throw back to that old school Rusty / Burn Out sound a bit more. Stay tuned for more on the next Slick Shoes record!
Chad
This is awesome. Thank you.
Screeching Bottlerocket
Thanks for checking it out ❤️