Greetings, and welcome to the Dying Scene Record Radar. If it’s your first time here, thank you for joining us! This is the weekly column where we cover all things punk rock vinyl; new releases, reissues… you name it, we’ve probably got it. So kick off your shoes, pull up a chair, crack open a […]
Greetings, and welcome to the Dying Scene Record Radar. If it’s your first time here, thank you for joining us! This is the weekly column where we cover all things punk rock vinyl; new releases, reissues… you name it, we’ve probably got it. So kick off your shoes, pull up a chair, crack open a cold one, and break out those wallets, because it’s go time. Let’s get into it!
If you don’t feel like reading, check out the video edition of this week’s Record Radar, presented by our friends at Punk Rock Radar:
AFI‘s All Hallow’s EP seems to be back in print. I’ve seen the orange colored 10″ popping up on various record stores’ webstores this week. Available here and here, among other places.
SoCal punk veterans Jughead’s Revenge are back with their first new record in 20+ years. Vultures is due out May 5th on SBÄM Records. Check out the first single “I’ll Be Seeing You” below and pre-order the 12″ EP here (US) / here (EU).
The friendly people at Eccentric Pop Records launched pre-orders for two awesome records this week. The first is Dan Vapid and the Cheats‘ latest album Welcome to Dystopia. 300 copies on blue vinyl, 200 on black. Get yours here.
Eccentric Pop also launched pre-orders for Horror Section‘s new record Part II: Rewind Resurrection. One of the two variants already sold out, so act fast if you want a copy. Get it here.
Operation Ivy singer Jesse Michaels’ band Classics of Love released an EP a few years ago, and Asian Man Records is releasing it on vinyl. The first pressing of World of Burning Hate was limited to 1,000 copies, and I say “was” because the shit sold out. If you missed out, fear not: the band has confirmed a second pressing is coming. By the way, did you hear about Jesse’s new band with Tim Armstrong? Check out ̶B̶a̶d̶ ̶O̶p̶t̶i̶x̶ DOOM Regulator!
Bad Religion‘s 30 Years Live is back in print on colored vinyl for the first time since 2016. 1,000 copies on “dragon fruit” colored vinyl, to be specific. Get it here.
I’m sure you’re already aware Samiam released a brand new album this week, but did you know the East Bay punk veterans’ debut LP is also getting a spiffy new reissue? This record’s been out of print for over a decade, but that changes now! Cleopatra Records has two new variants available on their webstore.
It wouldn’t be the Record Radar if we didn’t talk about an Epitaph reissue, would it? Motion City Soundtrack‘s I Am The Movie turns 20 this year, so naturally it’s getting reissued with like 20 new color variants. Links to all the places you can buy them are here.
Newbury Comics continues its reign as the most shameless retailer in the exclusive game with another set of $35 LPs (well, one of these is $32 but I’m not giving these fuckers a pass). They’ve got two new exclusives variants from Alkaline Trio: Is This Thing Cursed? on red w/ black splatter and their split with Hot Water Music on coke bottle clear. Get ’em here, suckers.
90’s pop-punk fans, pick up this new record from The Phase Problem! The band’s lineup includes members of Squirtgun and The Murderburgers. Our friends at Mom’s Basement Records have it on yellow and green colored vinyl on their webstore, and you know what? They’re only 20 fuckin’ bucks! Crazy how a small label is able to sell records for 40% less than Newbury Comics! Also available here in the UK and on cassette here.
Brooklyn Vegan has an exclusive pressing of Braid‘s 1998 LP Frame & Canvas up on their store. Limited to 300 copies on a variant they describe as “White inside Clear w/ Blue Splatter Vinyl”. Very cool.
The first is a repress of their 2022 split with Terror, back in print on two new color variants (each limited to 250 copies). Get that here.
The second is a new split with Germany’s Muff Potter. HWM’s side features a song called “Drawn”, previously only available on a New Noise Magazine flexi disc (listen below). Get this one here.
Our friends at People of Punk Rock Records are having a pretty sweet sale! Head over to their webstore before April 16th and get 25% off all music (vinyl, CDs & cassettes) and 10% off all skateboards and merch. Minimum order is $75. They’ve got a lot of great records out, including new albums from Colorsfade, Ten Foot Pole & Bridge The Gap plus some killer 30FootFall reissues. Don’t miss out!
Punk Rock Radar is releasing German melodic punk band Baxter‘s killer new album Between Punk and Bourgeoise on cassette. They’re doing 50 copies on gold tapes, 25 on purple, and 25 on black/white. Pre-order your copy here (US) or here (EU).
We’re all about supporting small independent bands & labels here at Dying Scene, so I wanna take a second to give a shoutout to the friendly people at Cat’s Claw Records holding it down over in the UK. If you wanna help them put out more awesome music, head over to their webstore and grab this bitchin’ t-shirt designed by prolific artist Wolf Mask. And buy some killer records from bands like Making Friends, Astronuts, Clayface, Mark Murphy & The Meds and many others while you’re over there!
Well, that’s all, folks. Another Record Radar in the books. As always, thank you for tuning in. If there’s anything we missed (highly likely), or if you want to let everyone know about a new/upcoming vinyl release you’re excited about, leave us a comment below, or send us a message on Facebook or Instagram, and we’ll look into it. Enjoy your weekend, and don’t blow too much money on spinny discs (or do, I’m not your father). See ya next week!
Wanna catch up on all of our Record Radar posts? Click here and you’ll be taken to a page with all the past entries in the column. Magic!
Chicago celebrates St. Patrick’s Day a bit early. The city partook in its traditional Dyeing of the Chicago River, followed by a boisterous post-downtown Irish parade afternoon. The events draw thousands, most seeming to be decked out in various formed of green plastic, t-shirts slightly updated, often vulgarity or cheesy wise, from the classic of […]
Chicago celebrates St. Patrick’s Day a bit early. The city partook in its traditional Dyeing of the Chicago River, followed by a boisterous post-downtown Irish parade afternoon. The events draw thousands, most seeming to be decked out in various formed of green plastic, t-shirts slightly updated, often vulgarity or cheesy wise, from the classic of bygone years “Kiss Me I’m Irish,” and silly hats. More than a few people remarked that the only thing seemingly missing were actual Irish people. The accuracy of that last part I do not know.
However, after a day accented by a few celebrants puking up green beer on the “L,” Reggie’sacted as a sort of refuge from the shenanigans (yes, I use that word sans apologies). The pride of Southside Chicago Celtic punk, Flatfoot 56, as it often does at this time of the year, stormed the stage. The band had hearty support from The Rumjacks, The Drowns, and another of Chicago’s own, Criminal Kids.
To say that a Flatfoot 56 show is always a good time is an understatement. Led by the affable founding members the brothers Bawinkel, Tobin and Kyle, the band roars through its set. Tobin Bawinkel, the towering lead singer, exudes the energy of a preacher leading an old-time revival under a big tent, the charm of your favorite high school teacher, (he actually is a high school social studies teacher in the Chicago Public school system), and the requisite charisma of a veteran frontman. Kyle Bawinkel, with a good-natured, but slightly mischievous grin, slams on bass, Drummer Dan Alfonsi, aka singer of another windy city band “Still Alive,” works in tight conjunction with Kyle for a sturdy backbeat. Original Flatfoot 56 Pipes player Josh Robieson rejoined the band a few years back, much to the delight of the Ollie Mob.
The band is well-known as a Christian group. But during the secular shows, you won’t witness proselytizing. However, you will hear stories of forgiveness, redemption, unity, and faith laid bare in FF56 lyrics. Two of the band’s most popular songs played live are actually covers of Christian hymnals. Tobin regularly encouraged, pre-pandemic, fans to hold the hands of their neighbors at the show, as they slowly build then burst into a very up-tempo rendition of “Amazing Grace.” Tobin still encourages fans to take a moment to introduce themselves to those around them they do not yet know.
On this particular night, however, the hymnal of choice, was the joyously rowdy version of “I’ll Fly Away.” And whether fans describe themselves as believers, atheists, agnostics, or by any other religion-related description, the crowd joins in, triumphantly singing the chorus.
“I’ll fly away, oh, Glory I’ll fly away When I die, Hallelujah, by and by I’ll fly away.”
It’s quite a moving moment. Decency is a word you will often hear associated with this band. It fits, in part, because it requests one thing of its fans, to bear cathartic witness to our shared humanity. But a FF56 show is no solemn affair, Its reliable strength is neither generic nor boring.
This was demonstrated as the members of Flatfoot 56 blasted through the set, also including “Brotherhood,” “Knuckles Up,” “Winter In Chicago,” a terrific cover version of “The Wild Rover,” “Courage,” and “We Grow Stronger.
Flatfoot 56 shows, simply put, are the very definition of a rip-roaring good time free of judgment, full of joy.
Celtic punk band The Rumjacks, was founded in Sydney, Australia but now its members are based in Europe.
Lead singer Mike Rivkees, who is actually from the United States, spent most of this time on stage in perpetual motion, springing lightly on the front of his shoes. Also playing tin whistle throughout the set, Rivkees commanded the crowd with his strong vocals. He led the bandmates, including his Mickey Rickshaw bandmate Kyle Goyette on accordion, through a rollicking set proper for a modern-day St. Patrick’s Day celebration in the USA. The Rumjacks easily satisfied the fans as it tore through “One for the Road,” ”Kirkintilloch,” “Bloodsoaked in Chorus,” ”A Fistful O’ Roses,” “Sainted Millions,” and “An Irish Pub Song.”
Hopefully we will not have to wait until the next St. Patrick’s Day celebration to welcome The Rumjacks back to Chicago.
The Drowns, out of the Emerald State helped celebrate the Emerald Isle with a spirited performance. The Seattle band has a stacked festival year. Among the upcoming highlights are Punk Rock Bowling, Punk in Drublic, and Rebellion Festival, as well as Sjock Festival. So it was a treat for those who can’t travel to a big festival to be able to see them at Reggie’s. The boisterous set included “Black Lung,” “Lost Boys Of Suburbia,” “One More Pint,” “Wolves on The Throne,” and ”Hold Fast.”
Band members felt compelled to point out one of their tour highlights or perhaps lowlights. The band hit White Castle pre-show. For at least one of its crew it was the first taste of the iconic fast-food joint. There is a White Castle right around the corner from the venue. Unsurprisingly (at least to me, as I am not a White Castle fan), the band expressed more than a little regret at that dinner choice.
The Drowns also played a barn-burning cover of Sweet’s “Ballroom Blitz.” Of course, that classic song was featured in the classic comedy “Wayne’s World,” which has several keys scenes set in the Windy City area. The crowd was absolutely all for it.
Regret is something you may experience if you don’t catch this The Drowns live at your first chance. Whether it is at a huge festival or in a more intimate setting, the crucial thing is to catch them. You will be glad you did.
I am always delighted to see Southside Chicago’s own Criminal Kids on the bill. The band fired up the hometown crowd to kick off the party.
The rough and tumble but sweet attitude befitting a band with this name was demonstrated as Criminal Kids blasted through “Little Bitch,” “Night,” “Outcast,” “Vanity,” and “Life.”
The band’s rambunctious cover of The Undertones classic from 1978, “Teenage Kicks,” was a notch above terrific.
Is this where I say it’d be a crime to miss Criminal Kids? Ok, I will apologize for that groaner. The manner of expressing this idea might be dorky. But the sentiment is not.
Happy Saturday! It’s been eight days since Fall Out Boy released their newest album, creating a “new beginning” for themselves. Since we don’t typically cover anything Fall Out Boy-related, my editors gave me a pass and let me take the wheel for today’s post. Which is sponsored by my coffee machine and a record player […]
Happy Saturday! It’s been eight days since Fall Out Boy released their newest album, creating a “new beginning” for themselves. Since we don’t typically cover anything Fall Out Boy-related, my editors gave me a pass and let me take the wheel for today’s post. Which is sponsored by my coffee machine and a record player that’s currently playing Fall Out Boy.
Firstly, this might be an atypical Dying Scene post, but I want to thank Fall Out Boy for shaping my teens and making me question my taste in men later in life. Since Fall Out Boy has become too big for “small” online ‘zines, except Kerrang! I’ve decided to show my undying admiration for them by putting together a top ten all-time best Fall Out Boy songs that aren’t the ones we still hear on the radio from 2006.
So if you like Fall Out Boy as much as I do or want an introduction to them, I’m here to guide you through the magnificent and unique world that Fall Out Boy made with their clever lyrics and ever-so-changing sound. Let us begin! And we are starting with the number 10!
10. I Write Sins Not Tragedies (A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out, 2005)
No doubt that this is such an underrated song from their first album. The sound and lyrics are just so unique and ahead of their time. They started Emo, but it’s only 18 years later that we all genuinely have come to understand the uniqueness this song has brought. Thank you, Fall Out Boy for starting Emo <3
9. Lying Is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off (A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out, 2005)
Every time I hear this song, I get emotional when I listen to it. I’m pretty sure it was written for Pete Wentz’s wife, now ex-wife, at that time. But he never replied to my message, so I can’t confirm this.
8. ME! Ft Brendon Urie(Lover, 2019)
Wow, that moment they went full pop and thought they could get away with it. They did for a few weeks during the summer, but I started wondering what I liked about them after that. But one can’t deny that this is a banger!
7. House of Memories (Death of A Bachelor, 2016)
It was a hit BEFORE TikTok started using it, and it is still a banger today. I have nothing to add to this song.
6. One Of The Drunks (Pray for the Wicked, 2018)
I heard this song every time I went partying, this is my jam. Turns out I suck at partying and not everyone likes emo.
5. High Hopes (Pray for the Wicked, 2018)
I wish I was the last good thing of their part of town. I remember cracking this song, wishing the guy I had a crush on would phone me. But he never did. It still slaps and I still do the air guitar, so to the dude that broke my heart for the first time – thanks for giving me a cool skillset. You were the last good thing about that part of town. Asshole.
4. Northern Downpour (Pretty. Odd, 2008)
They did a remix with 100 gecs, Craig Owens, and Nicole Dollanganger. I am so here for it, the summer it came out it was my number 1 on my Spotify list!!
3. Far Too Young to Die (Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die!, 2013)
From their newest album, this song brings me in such a good mood with it’s catchy lyrics and Patrick’s voice. So it seems the vultures are getting too full to fly. Eat that, haters.
2. Local God (Viva Las Vengeance, 2022)
I know MANIA is a controversial album, but there’s no denying that Wilson stood out as one of the better tracks. Seriously, guys, we have forgiven you for this trashy album. But it’s a good track, ok?
1.The Best of Both Worlds (Hannah Montana, 2006)
The number Uno! “Calm Before the Storm” has got to be my most heard FOB song since I heard about them. Even to this day, I find the lyrics amazing. But as they sing in the song “What you do on your own time’s just fine.”
If you’ve read this far. April Fools – we regret nothing.
There exists a small handful of bands that I feel like, in some ways, I’ve grown up alongside. I feel like if you’re an active music listener, once you get to about your mid-twenties, you reach a point where the current bands that you’re listening to have transitioned from being bands of your parents’ generation […]
Band photo: Shervin Lainez
There exists a small handful of bands that I feel like, in some ways, I’ve grown up alongside. I feel like if you’re an active music listener, once you get to about your mid-twenties, you reach a point where the current bands that you’re listening to have transitioned from being bands of your parents’ generation (or at least your cool uncle’s generation, although my parents were and are pretty cool so I’m lucky that way) to bands that are in that sort of in-between-but-still-older generation to, finally, bands that are basically your peers. People who are right in your same age bracket and same general socioeconomic bracket and with whom you shared a series of experiences, both personally and culturally, even if you never met and instead lived hundreds or thousands of miles apart. As a result, they resonate with you on a level that is just different and more personal than the music of your formative years. They become “your” bands, and you continue to grow and change and amass shared life experiences and go through different phases arm-in-arm (and maybe if you’re lucky you get to meet them along the way and share actual experiences that only serve to confirm their place in your life). So if you’ve read anything that I’ve written over the last dozen years here at Dying Scene, you’re probably aware that The Loved Ones/Dave Hause and Gaslight Anthem/Brian Fallon and Lucero/Ben Nichols comprise probably 3/4ths of my own personal Mt. Rushmore. The fourth and final spot undoubtedly belongs to The Hold Steady.
In many ways, The Hold Steady itself has grown up quite considerably along the way. In a literal sense, they’ve gone from a four-piece to a five-piece to a differently-assembled five-piece to a six-piece to a six-piece that sometimes has horns. Musically, the band has long-since moved on from being simply “America’s best bar band” to a band that has continued to level-up musically and push the sonic boundaries of what it means to be The Hold Steady. That is never more evident than on The Price Of Progress, the newest of the band’s nine studio full-lengths.
Due out today (happy new release day!), The Price Of Progress is a bit of a journey. I was lucky enough to receive a press copy long enough in advance that I decided to give the album a full couple of listens and then put it aside for a while and then revisit it before it came time to write the actual review. I’m glad I did, because The Price Of Progress is a bit of a journey. In many ways, it may be the “least Hold Steadyish” album of the nine in their ouevre. Few and far-between are the drunken, sweaty burners and the cathartic, sing-along-in-exultation choruses and the ripping guitar solos or even the extended keyboard jams. Those first couple of listens a few months ago left me with the vague impression that “well…that’s different.” And yet, in the time that’s ensued, I can’t help but shake the feeling that, in a lot of ways, maybe this is their “most Hold Steadyish” album to date. Let’s get into the weeds.
Were I to pick one word to best describe The Price Of Progress, that word would have to be ‘theatrical,’ and I mean that in the literal sense of the word in that the bulk of the album’s ten tracks create the impression that you’re watching a play unfold before you. Ten sets of different characters performing in front of a studio audience, all narrated at side-stage by frontman Craig Finn’s trademark sprechgesang vocal stylings. “Grand Junction” gets the festivities underway and the atypical time signature (6/8? I think? I’m not good at musical theory but I think it’s 6/8 and I asked my brother and he’s a music teacher and he said yes so we’ll go with that) is an immediate signal that we’re not in Kansas (or Brooklyn…or Minneapolis) anymore, Toto. Tad Kubler and Steve Selvidge trade off some nifty guitar work in the bridge that’s as close as we’re getting to a solo. “Sideways Skull” comes next, and was an early single for a reason as it is probably the most “Hold Steady song on the record. It feels like it could be set in a universe that’s a continuation of Open Door Policy‘s “Family Farm.” There are big, swirling guitar sounds and a big, cathartic build-up with plenty of oozin’ aahs. Lyrically, it’s filled with the dark humor and oddly specific references (“the jacket held together by the rock band patches”) that somehow make the imagery instantly relatable, as does the referential nod to the home state shared by both THS multi-instrumental wizard Franz Nicolay and I. “Carlos Is Crying” has a super fun swing in the verse, complete with a spanky guitar groove and some layered harmonica and keys (from Nicolay, no doubt) providing the texture. Wonder if the dickhead in Denver is the same fella that cut his hair in the airport bathroom back on Thrashing Thru The Passion?
“Understudies” is a real unique and interesting song. There’s a slow-build organ-centered intro that provides the backbone until the Bobby Drake’s drums kick in about a minute later, then there’s a super theatrical Galen Polivka bass groove laid down over some dramatic strings. Lyrically it’s layer upon layer of metaphor and it’s tough to tell if you should take the story literally or figuratively or if it even matters which one you choose. “Sixers” is one of my favorites. There are a couple of big pseudo-starts that hint at a musical direction before the real mood is revealed as a mid-tempo rock song. There’s no real chorus per se, but there is at least what seems like a standard structure, but then we get to an interlude that just kind of takes over. It’s one of the REAL theatrical vignettes, and it’s followed by “The Birdwatchers,” a song that caught me off guard at first but has become a very strong favorite. There’s a real interesting musical bed/intro, and it like “Sixers,” it plays as a theatrical vignette. There are horns, but they largely serve as texture and not a lead instrument, though they do devolve into a bit of a free-jazz sound at times. There are also bells and chimes, and the curtain just kinda ends on the song and the story, the latter of which is also riddled with metaphor and double meaning.
“City At Eleven” has no real chorus. It may be the most “Craig Finn-ish” song on The Price Of Progress. “Perdido” which translates to “lost” and which has an almost hypnotic guitar melody, a evokes a sort of slowed-down version of the Ella Fitzgerald/Duke Ellington standard with which it shares a name. “Distortions Of Faith” is a smoky, blues waltz number. The guitars are drenched in reverb and the song has a long, descending outro. “Flyover Halftime” brings our procession to a close with what is maybe the second “Hold Steadiest” song on the album. The guitars growl but they don’t overpower. We’ve got a hornets reference! And we’ve also got a fan on the field…
Because of its focus on scope and texture and scenery rather than catchiness or bombast or catharsis, The Price Of Progress is more of a grower than a shower, but it’s also the kind of album, that once it does grow, it takes over and becomes probably The Hold Steady’s most instantly re-listenable album since at least Teeth Dreams (I know the fanboys will be in a tizzy over that statement, but that’s a great rock and roll album and you know it).
Unwritten Law was forced to cancel their show tonight in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, following the arrest of singer Scott Russo. The frontman of the veteran punk band was arrested by Tampa PD last night on a warrant for Violation of Probation: Possession of Marijuana. His bail is set at $50,000, which seems pretty fuckin’ heavy […]
Unwritten Law was forced to cancel their show tonight in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, following the arrest of singer Scott Russo. The frontman of the veteran punk band was arrested by Tampa PD last night on a warrant for Violation of Probation: Possession of Marijuana. His bail is set at $50,000, which seems pretty fuckin’ heavy handed for a weed charge but them’s the breaks.
Fans who attended the band’s show at Tampa’s Crowbar say they got someone to fill in on vocals for Russo. Obviously that won’t be happening again tonight, but it sounds like UL intends on resuming their tour with Authority Zero and Mercy Music, with shows this weekend in Orlando and Jacksonville planned to go on as scheduled. Stay tuned to the band’s Facebook page for updates.
Unwritten Law is touring in support of their comeback album The Hum, released last year on Cleopatra Records. It’s the SoCal punk band’s first new LP in over a decade, following 2011’s Swan.
Update: Ya boy Scott’s out on bail – the show goes on!
He wasn’t arrested for weed he was arrested for violation of probation. So he was given probation for marijuana possession which is a misdemeanour in Florida and he failed to comply with the conditions of his probation. That’s actually a lot worse than the charge itself. I guess “writing your own laws” hasn’t worked out so well for this guy….. I hear he has a lot of domestic violence charges as well. Keep him in there.
Melodic punk fans, listen up! Nuremberg, Germany’s Melonball will be releasing their debut album Breathe tomorrow, March 31st on Thousand Islands and Lockjaw Records. Your friends at Dying Scene are pleased to bring you this exclusive album premiere a day before it lands on all major streaming platforms. This thing’s fast and furious from front […]
Melodic punk fans, listen up! Nuremberg, Germany’s Melonball will be releasing their debut album Breathe tomorrow, March 31st on Thousand Islands and Lockjaw Records. Your friends at Dying Scene are pleased to bring you this exclusive album premiere a day before it lands on all major streaming platforms. This thing’s fast and furious from front to back; try to keep up!
Don’t just take our word for it: listen for yourself below, and peep the dates on Melonball’s impending European / UK tour while you’re down there. After you’re done doing that, grab Breathe on vinyl or CD (or both!). It’s available here (North America), here (UK), and here (Australia).
23/04/01 – “Breathe” Album release show @ Nuremberg, GER 23/04/02 – “Breathe”-Tour w/ Heathcliff, Drunktank @ Saarbrücken, GER 23/04/03 – “Breathe”-Tour w/ Heathcliff, Drunktank @ Antwerp Belgium 23/04/05 – “Breathe”-Tour w/ Heathcliff @ Brighton, UK 23/04/06 – “Breathe”-Tour w/ Heathcliff @ London, UK 23/04-07-09 – Manchester Punk Fest 23 @ Manchester, UK 23/04/12 – Dankeschatz, Melonball @ Munich, GER 23/04/14 – Melonball, Chris Magerl, The Bloodstrings @ Fürth, GER 23/05/01 – 1st of May Fest @ Regensburg, GER 23/05/15 – showcase @ Nuremberg ClubStereo 23/05/19 – @ Weiden Salute Rock Club 23/05/20 – @ Graz Musichouse 23/06/17 – Balarock Festival @ Bad Laasphe, GER 23/06/30 – Mission Ready Fest @ Giebelstadt, GER 23/08/07 – Der Krater Bebt Festival 23/08/08-11 – Punk Rock Holiday, SLO
SoCal melodic punkers, Moonraker just released a new video for “My First Rodeo” from their 2022 LP The Forest (released on Bearded Punk Records, Tiny Dragon Music, Bypolar Records and No Time Records) and they wanted DS readers to get a first peek! Soooooo, scroll on down, put that fucker on repeat and enjoy! *The […]
SoCal melodic punkers, Moonraker just released a new video for “My First Rodeo” from their 2022 LP The Forest (released on Bearded Punk Records, Tiny Dragon Music, Bypolar Records and No Time Records) and they wanted DS readers to get a first peek! Soooooo, scroll on down, put that fucker on repeat and enjoy!
*The lads are also playing a couple shows down in LA and LV (dates below). Check out their Facebook page for more details and if you’re in the area, go support your scene!
Friday, 3/31 – Los Angeles – The Last Call with Boss’ Daughter, Taken Days, Holyfangs and Enemyproof
Operation Ivy bandmates Tim Armstrong and Jesse Michaels have announced their first musical collaboration in over 30 years. The duo teamed up with drummer Joey Castillo (Queens of the Stone Age, Circle Jerks, The Bronx, etc.) and Trash Talk bassist Spencer Pollard for their new project ̶B̶a̶d̶ ̶O̶p̶t̶i̶x̶ (jk, sounds like they had some legal […]
Operation Ivy bandmates Tim Armstrong and Jesse Michaels have announced their first musical collaboration in over 30 years. The duo teamed up with drummer Joey Castillo (Queens of the Stone Age, Circle Jerks, The Bronx, etc.) and Trash Talk bassist Spencer Pollard for their new project ̶B̶a̶d̶ ̶O̶p̶t̶i̶x̶ (jk, sounds like they had some legal trouble and had to change the name to DOOM Regulator).
Armstrong had this to say about reuniting with Michaels:
“I’ve been friends with Jesse since the early 1980s when we were teenagers. We formed Operation Ivy in 1987 and 2 years later we broke up. Jesse and I both continued down our own musical journeys through the years. I always felt a little sadness that Jesse and I stopped making music together. But we never lost touch. And then it happened. A few years ago we started writing songs again! A couple of the songs ended up on Grade 2’s record. Jesse and I just stared writing again a lot. It came back. Just like that. Like when we we were kids. There is a special chemistry between us and I don’t take it for granted.”
Check out the band’s first single “Raid” below, and stay tuned for more to come from ̶B̶a̶d̶ ̶O̶p̶t̶i̶x̶ DOOM Regulator. It sounds like they’ll be releasing a full-length album on Hellcat Records at some point.
Holy shit I love this record… Okay, so I suppose that’s maybe not the most professional way to kick off an album review, but whatever. This is a punk rock website and reviewing albums isn’t exactly my profession in the technical sense… Anyway, let’s start over. Back in September of 2011, just a day before […]
Holy shit I love this record…
Okay, so I suppose that’s maybe not the most professional way to kick off an album review, but whatever. This is a punk rock website and reviewing albums isn’t exactly my profession in the technical sense… Anyway, let’s start over.
Back in September of 2011, just a day before my 32nd birthday, I had the privilege of reviewing the then-brand-new and incredibly stellar Samiam album Trips. I loved it. I loved everything about it. It finished the year right near the top of my Best of 2011 albums list, and if I were to rerank that list a dozen years later, it’s probably the album that holds up the best. Sometime after Trips was released, I remember commenting on some social media platform – I think it was MySpace honestly rofl – that hopefully it wouldn’t be another five years before the next new Samiam record (Trips is preceded in the Samiam discography by 2006’s Whatever’s Got You Down) and the band’s lead guitarist and artistic force Sergie Loobkoff just responded “LOL” or something like that. At the time, I interpreted that as “LOL, don’t worry, we won’t wait that long next time.” Yet here we are, just about a dozen full years later, and we’ve finally got the follow up to Trips in our midst. It’s called Stowaway and it’s out this Friday (March 31st) on Pure Noise Records and saying that it was worth the wait is a bit of hyperbole because I wish we didn’t have to wait 11.5 years…but I’ll be damned if it wasn’t worth the wait.
Stowaway kicks off with “Lake Speed,” a track whose introductory air-raid siren dive bombs are soon met with a frenetic energy that shows that musically, Samiam have not only not lost a step but are in fact as charged-up as ever. It’s as tight and concise a post-hardcore-style ripper as you’ll find in the Samiam catalog complete with a pretty awesome guest spot from *SPOILER ALERT* none other than Hot Water Music’s Chris Wollard. It’s a damn-near perfect track, with Wollard and Samiam frontman Jason Beebout layering their unique voices over Loobkoff and Sean Kennerly’s dizzying guitar runs while the comparatively new rhythm section of Colin Brooks (drums) and Chad Darby (bass – more on that later) push a blistering pace. The whole thing is controlled chaos and creates the sense that it could careen off the rails at any moment, but then it’s over somehow just as quickly as it began. (Oh, and its lyrical tip of the cap to the longtime NASCAR driver with whom it shares its name is just the icing on the proverbial cake).
“Lake Speed” gives way to “Crystallized,” one of the three singles that was put out in the leadup to the album’s release. In many ways, it’s a perfect single: it’s got a big, classic Samiam sound that’s been charged up by Brooks and Darby the latter of whom you may recognize from his time in one of Chris Wollard’s other projects, Ship Thieves. If you’re an astute follower of Dying Scene, you’ll recall the time that he and Wollard joined us on the (*both laugh*) podcast, during which he may or may not have indicated that he was working with Samiam on new music and may have short-circuited my brain in the process…
“Lights Out, Little Hustler” follows and continues in the vein of charged-up, instant classic Samiam tunes. Oodles of vocal harmonies adorn the verses before frontman Jason Beebout’s inimitable voice powers through on the powerful, introspective singalong chorus. “Shoulda Stayed” would have been right at home on 120 Minutes or on a certain skateboard-inspired videogame series in a previous decade, as do the chunky guitar in the verses of “Shut Down.” “Scout Knife” features another appearance from Wollard, which makes sense given that some of the album’s components were recorded at Gainesville’s Black Bear Studios with frequent HWM/Ship Thieves collaborator Ryan Williams.
“Monterey Canyon” features probably the album’s best examples of the Loobkoff’s trademark single-note atmospheric divebomb melody lines. “Natural Disasters” is maybe the brightest sounding track on the album to this point, in some ways belying the songs vocals which, if taken literally, lament that the damage we’ve done to our home planet is probably irreparable at this point. “Stanley” is a fun song with a lot of different stylistic layers and sonic textures. “Highwire” starts somewhat down tempo for a Samiam song but turns itself into a a bombastic anthem with what are probably Beebout’s most soaring vocal performance. “Something” is a sneaky contender for my favorite track on the album that isn’t called “Lake Speed.” It’s a no-nonsense, four-on-the-floor, downstroke heavy punk rock ripper with Loobkoff and Kennerly again trading catchy guitar melodies over an even catchier shoutalong outro. The title track closes out the festivities in a way that probably best encapsulates all of the album’s different layers and textures and sonic directions in one four-minute package.
There has been talk at times over the years since Trips that part of the reason that there wasn’t new Samiam music was due to concern over whether or not Beebout still wanted to sing and to write new lyrics; there’s a quote out there somewhere about “maybe people over the age of 50 should admit they’re probably too old to be in the music business” I think. To state it emphatically and for the record, I’m really glad he decided to keep at it. Beebout’s voice has long been one of the most powerful and unique in the game and that’s just as true a statement now on Stowaway as it was at any other point in the band’s thirty-five year tenure. There’s a feeling and an urgency and an introspection and a devilish humor in both his vocals and his lyrics that are unmatched and that have the ability to provoke both goosebumps and long, honest looks in the mirror, sometimes within the same song. See “Shut Down” or “Monterrey Canyon” on this one, for example. When added to Loobkoff and Kennerly’s urgent guitars and, lately, Brooks and Darby’s punishing grooves, it’s part and parcel to what makes Samiam Samiam after all this time. It’s fair to say that Stowaway will be tough to dislodge from the #1 spot on this year’s end-of best-of list, and it’s fair to say that if I revisit this album in another dozen years, when I’m in my mid-50s (woof…) it’ll still feel as vital and compelling as ever.
Samiam has been critically underrated and ignored almost shamefully, one of the best bands that never got better recognition, but anyone who is a true fan of the genre and knows them knows they deliver some of the best “no filler” albums that would give even someone in a vegetative state goosebumps. Right on, this is a perfect review. I was introduced to them via the album Billy back in the day and some of my fondest memories are hitting the pavement with a Walkman and skating to what would inevitably be the sandtrack to my life.
Matt Goud, better known as Northcote, has a new full-length out now, done in true DIY fashion. Inspired by Indian devotional music and a renewed spirituality through nature, this record gives the listener a more stripped-down, raw sound than what may have been encountered in previous Northcote releases. As described by Goud in our interview, […]
Matt Goud, better known as Northcote, has a new full-length out now, done in true DIY fashion. Inspired by Indian devotional music and a renewed spirituality through nature, this record gives the listener a more stripped-down, raw sound than what may have been encountered in previous Northcote releases. As described by Goud in our interview, “there’s less of like guys playing a band, it’s more of almost like I performed the song live and then everyone jammed on top of it.”
You can almost feel the sporadic nature of the record, and can appreciate that even more than something so methodical and planned out. It plays right into the folk narrative of authenticity and simplicity. Although this record comes off less methodical than ones previous, the music in no way suffers. I found myself enjoying these tracks in a different way than I had previously when listening to full-band songs such as “Bitter End” or “How Can You Turn Around”.
Interviews like this are the reason I enjoy writing for Dying Scene so much. Matt Goud’s distinct blend of Americana and folk, paired with truthfully sincere lyrics that are almost therapeutic in nature have had probably the largest influence on both my songwriting and obsession with Americana music (I credit Northcote with leading me down a path to the likes of Tim Barry, Seth Anderson, Dan Andriano, and many others). Pairing this interview with the one I just did with Roger Harvey gives you a pretty solid look at how my music taste has started evolving as of late. What made this interview even cooler were a couple of the coincidences that emerged right as we started talking. I noticed we were both wearing the same Bouncing Souls hoodie that I got down at Fest in October. I then mentioned having seen Northcote play with Dave Hause in Nashville at the historic Bluebird Cafe, Northcote’s only time playing here. He then held up a Bluebird Cafe mug from his trip here. Just a couple little coincidences that got our conversation rolling and assured me that this was going to be a good one.
Keep scrolling for a link to the brand-spanking-new record, a list of tour dates, and my super awesome chat with Matt about the new release, influences, hockey, and a whole bunch more cool shit. As always, thanks for making it this far. Cheers!
(Editor’s note: The following has been edited and condensed for clarity’s sakebecause a good chunk of this interview was just two guys shooting the shit.)
Dying Scene (Nathan Kernell NastyNate): Hey man, thanks so much for sitting down with me. Before we get started man, I just want to say it’s really an honor getting to talk with you. You’ve been probably the most influential songwriter for me over the years and your music has helped me through a lot, specifically Hope is Made of Steel. I saw you back in, I wanna say 2018, it was that tour you did with Dave Hause where you came down to Nashville. You weren’t playing the date, it was at Bluebird Café, but you still got up and played a couple songs and that’s what first introduced me to your music. I’ve kind of followed along ever since.
Matt Goud (Northcote): Right on well that’s cool to hear. Weird coincidences right with the mug, I had no idea where you were based out of.
Actually I took my brother to that show, that was his first concert ever and we were sitting right side stage, had a great view. It was awesome. That’s still today one of my favorite shows ever. That was such a cool show.
That was a good trip, that was 2018 or 2019. I came down there, just maybe did a week or two. Sometimes he invites me to do that, where else did we play on that? One I remember going to is Richmond and maybe Boston was on that one too. That was fun, those are special times going to hang with Dave.
Oh yeah, that was the first time I got to see him, now I’ve seen him three or four times since. I actually just saw him a couple months ago across town at a different venue. So let’s go ahead and get started man, I really wanted to talk about the new record, out March 17. What was the meaning behind calling it Wholeheart?
The idea of the album art kind of came to me in a dream almost. I had a dream where I was sitting at kind of a campfire with a friend and there was a big scene around the dream where there were kids there, police officers and the president of the United States, my dad was there, and my grandparents who have passed away were there. And there was like a feel and we’re looking at the campfire, me and my friend, and the campfire was kind of like an atom or like a ball, like the earth almost. And just that oneness, the feeling I had of looking at that campfire made me think of whole heart. This also comes from the devotion I feel over the years from singing, it’s kind of what I’m trying to do in my music, the devotion to singing and practicing, meeting people, to give it your all.
You mentioned the artwork, do you do all your artwork for your singles and your full lengths?
Over the years my friend John Gerard has done the majority of the artwork: Hope is Made of Steel, the self-titled, Gather No Dust, Let Me Roar. This one though, a friend from town named Alex Murray was available. John just put out a book and said he was kind of busy at the time I was looking for a piece. Alex Murray did the artwork, we were on a recreation soccer team together.
Were these recorded near you in British Columbia?
The material was written in ‘21, recorded May 2022 and will be released March 2023. So a long process. It was made here in Vancouver Island with Colin Stewart at a place called the Hive, and they’re pretty famous for kind of fuzzy indie rock, they’re kind of the most well-known studio out here for that. Colin’s partner did Japandroids in the same studio, so there’s that West Coast kind of indie rock thing. That’s what he’s all about, he had never recorded a scream, like I have a guest vocalist from my favorite hardcore band on track 2, it’s called “Man Inside the Glass” and he had never recorded a hardcore scream. He had been making records for 20 years, that’s kind of funny, that was a fun day.
So on your website you talked about exploring Indian devotional and chant music with this new record. Can you kind of elaborate on that a little bit because I know nothing about Indian devotional music.
Me neither *laughs*. Well I set out to write these songs and I was writing in a similar way that I had always done, go with the verses and the chorus and try to come up with something catchy. Meanwhile, during the pandemic I had a bunch of changes in my life. I had found some spirituality that I had been missing for a few years and that was helping me feel a bit more relaxed and I just had a sense of calmness and easiness. Some of what I found was, I went to a cloud meditation class and the teacher gave one verse from the Bhagavad Gita, which is an Indian spiritual text, and she was teaching this verse and I was sitting there, this is my first time I’ve ever tried anything like that, and it was just word by word learning this chant. And I kind of got the hang of it and I would say it to myself and I noticed that when I’m going to play my guitar, I was doing more chanting than songwriting. And so it just kind of started to take over my jam time and so then it just blended together.
So you mentioned exploring Indian devotional chants, but you also mentioned this record bringing you back to your days of playing with Means.
Well this record is gonna be DIY for me, what I mean by that is just putting it out with help of friends and family, like no record label or booking agent or anything, and because of that, I’m not as concerned with the business of the album. I need to make some money to pay off the album, but other than that I don’t have my eye on a single or radio campaign you know. This is the first interview I’ve done about it actually. So I knew that going into the record because I was exploring some spiritual things and there’s some screaming on the record. It reminds me of a Means record called Sending You Strength. We had that whole record planned out before we went to the studio, I had the track listing planned out, the artwork, I had the transitions, there was a spoken word song I had, all the riffs, but I couldn’t really visualize it. With WholeHeart I really could visualize what I wanted to feel, what I wanted the vibe of the record to be. Before, I was more collaborative like with the drums, guitar solos, making it more Americana or something, which is great, I’m glad I got to try on that. But there’s no songs that are gonna be big in Nashville on this record.
I mean I’m not too fond of a lot of songs that are big in Nashville anyways *laughs*.
The dream I had to be a songwriter is kind of over, I’m really trying to be a singer you know. The chanting music has really brought a new facet to my singing which I could not see coming, it reminds me of hardcore screaming kind of too. The way it feels and my body, it’s like I’m tired after I do it.
That actually kind of relates to my next question, what do you think is the biggest difference with this new record? I mean your last record came out during COVID, there are several artists I’ve talked to where it’s kind of the same thing, where their new releases are post COVID and they talk about it being such a drastic difference because COVID was such a dark time and now it’s kind of back to normal. So would you say that that’s kind of the biggest difference between Let Me Roar and Wholeheart?
I think with Let Me Roar, we had a tour with the whole band like we had full drums, there was a full bass, we wanted to go and play in theaters and with the band. But we didn’t tour, so we made a concert movie with the band. This record, there isn’t really a band on the record you know all of the Northcote people helped me make it, everyone. It’s not DIY because everyone helped me out with it, but like Mike never played a snare drum or high hat, he played like a concert bass drum, a standup bass drum you know. A lot of the bass guitar was done on a Wurlitzer. So there’s less of like guys playing a band, it’s more of almost like I performed the song live and then everyone jammed on top of it. It’s kind of like if we were hanging out at your basement there and I was like ‘hey guys here’s the new song “Can’t Stay the Same”‘ and Mike grabbed the bass drum, and Steven grabbed the guitar, and Eric sat at the piano, it’s more like that.
You can almost appreciate music like that more sometimes because sometimes you hear that everything’s so planned and everything’s so methodical. You can sometimes appreciate being sporadic and just jamming over top of something. That’s awesome. So with your first two singles for this record, is there a type of theme? It seems the outdoors is kind of a main focus with the first two.
Oh cool, I’m just putting this together in my head because I’m not sure what I would say in an interview yet. But I will say that I live in Vancouver Island, and we had this thing during the pandemic here, it was a big protest about the logging industry. And there was like the police, and the protesters, and the logging industry, and the government. There was this big protest essentially about it. I went to one of the rallies and listened to an Indigenous speaker and he was saying something to encourage the crowd to kind of find their side of themselves which connects to nature. It wasn’t about the money or the cops or any of the politics, he encouraged the crowd to think about who you are, like where do you come, where were you born, and how would you fit in with nature and water and trees. I thought that was so profound because, as a white guy, I don’t always think of myself as like coming from nature. Indigenous people become one with the land almost, it’s really important to them. But me, I’m a farm kid from Saskatchewan, I don’t have that connection, I don’t feel like I know where I come from in that deep way. So I think a lot of the poetry on the record will have nature as an influence.
That kind of really intrigues me because that’s kind of the type of journey I’ve had the past 2-3 years. I was living in and going to school in a small town in East Tennessee, a lot of nature around, and I kind of started finding that spirituality in nature. So I wanted to kind of talk about your upbringing a little bit. With you growing up in a small town, what music were you introduced that kind of led to you being in Means and ultimately brought you to where you are now with your unique blend of kind of Americana folk music?
I’m the oldest sibling, but I did have older friends who introduced me to punk rock and hardcore, that was probably grade 8, grade 7. You know the first time I heard Nirvana and NOFX, I remember I was in grade 6 and I rode in a car with some older kids, we were going to a hockey school, that’s the first time I heard NOFX and Nirvana and the fast drumming of NOFX that blew my mind. So it kind of went from there I mean I always liked kinda pissed off political punk quite a bit, but I like Christian hardcore stuff too. Christian rock, I like that. I mean I grew up in that culture and I would say when Means got going, we were all pretty devout, we were all from devout families of faith, but we all wanted to play music with everybody and being from Canada there wasn’t a big Christian hardcore scene. So we just grew up playing with everybody, my favorite tours were with Shai Hulud and Misery Signals. Then when Means broke up, going into country music or Americana music, it was kind of a hard transition because a lot of my influences were indie rock, but my simple, more folky songs seemed to get a better response. So I think as I went along my songs got a bit more simple.
I was interested to hear your answer because it’s kind of a weird transition, going from Christian hardcore to what you’re doing now.
Yeah what else can I tell you about that … well I mean coming out of the hardcore scene, I knew that Means did well, like I was happy and I loved that band so much. But when the band was over, I wanted to see what it was like in different genres, like we never played in the bar, we never played with indie rock bands, we were way too heavy. So it was a challenge at first and it was a novelty too to play in coffee shops and bars. Then once I got a few tours, then I started having fun, like meeting people and drinking and getting into the bar scene, then I started getting to travel around the world and it kind of got rolling. And now I’m back at the start.
Currently, I think I read in your bio you work as a mental health worker?
Yeah!
The reason I ask that is because, for me your music is very therapeutic. Hope is Made of Steel, that record helped me through a really rough time right after I discovered your music, after seeing you live. With your music, is that kind of a goal, is it kind of therapeutic to help people or is it more of a reflection of personal experience, is it maybe a mix of both?
I think it’s therapeutic to help. I mean I don’t know what it’s like on the other side of my music, like sometimes when my songs come on in the car, like if my wife is playing it or something, I feel embarrassed and I switch the track. But making the songs, the process of writing them or whatever, I think it’s helping me, this is what I like to do to and it’s a part of my identity. This is how I spend my time. I’m not trying to be any therapy thing, I was trying to get a hit song so I could buy a condo *laughs*. So somewhere in between that yeah.
Are you still currently a hockey broadcaster now?
This is the first year I’ve got to do that and it’s hilarious, it’s for the University of Victoria.
Gotcha, so do you have an NHL team you root for, are you a Canucks guy?
I cheer for Edmonton, because I grew up in Saskatchewan so I grew up pretty close to Minot, North Dakota. So that’s the zone right that I’m from, or Bismarck, that’s like 3 hours, 4 hours away. So you could cheer for Winnipeg, Calgary, or Edmonton, those were the close teams.
I’m happy hearing that because I’m a Blues guy, I’m from Saint Louis, so Winnipeg is no good and then Vancouver knocked us out a couple years ago, one of my buddies is a big Vancouver guy so he was rubbing in my face and everything.
So we’re kind of winding down here, something I always like to ask with songwriting in general, for you do lyrics come first or does music come first? Something I kind of always struggle with in my own songwriting is finding what’s gonna come first.
I think the answer for me is kind of like music with one line. Oftentimes when I journal, what I journal won’t make it into the song, but it’ll give me a start. Like “Can’t Stay the Same,” that was kind of just like a thing I would just write down, I just had it in my head. And so it took me a while to find the right music, but once I found that, the chorus opened up and the song opened up. So I would say music usually with one word or a line.
That’s a new one, I haven’t heard that one yet. So you said you weren’t able to tour at all for Let Me Roar, I mean it was during the height of COVID. Do you have a bunch of dates scheduled to do some support for the record, or do you have something in the works for that?
I do, yeah. I’m self-booking shows in Western Canada, so I’m just gonna run out from Vancouver Island back home to Saskatchewan, turn around and then come back. So it’s just 14 days, then from there I don’t know what’s gonna happen. I would love to go overseas again maybe, but I’m just trying to get one tour under my belt because of booking it myself. Once I get that going then maybe I will see how it goes.
Well I can’t wait to see what happens. That about covers everything I think. Lastly, I guess I’ll ask where does the name Northcote come from?
It kind of means the North shelter. At the time I was living in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, which is an Arctic town. It kind of was inspired by a poem about just a shelter, like a birdhouse, inspired by that. I have a lot of birdhouse and I just like the Northcote thing. Of course, now I like it because of an actual coat, like now when I think about the name, sometimes write it C-O-A-T because I’ve been made fun of enough times. Some of my friends called me Cote. And then I met the singer Craig from The Hold Steady and he told me I should lower a giant coat from the ceiling when I go on stage *laughs*. Like lower a giant coat and just put it on before I do my Americana classics. So it was inspired by where I was living at the time and I liked shelter part.
That’s awesome. Well we’re about out of time on this call, this really was so awesome getting to chat with you. Have a good one and we’ll talk soon.
Mark Hoppus
He wasn’t arrested for weed he was arrested for violation of probation. So he was given probation for marijuana possession which is a misdemeanour in Florida and he failed to comply with the conditions of his probation. That’s actually a lot worse than the charge itself. I guess “writing your own laws” hasn’t worked out so well for this guy….. I hear he has a lot of domestic violence charges as well. Keep him in there.
Gina
Mark, I agree with your comment 10000%
Gina
???? I find this hilarious, you AHOLE!!