Seattle-based country-punks Bobby’s Oar are streaming their new EP Knots. The new four song EP was released May 3rd and features some great guitar riffs, amazing songwriting and just enough keyboard to keep your head moving. You can check out the new album below. This is the first new music from Bobby’s Oar since the 2017 release Not […]
Seattle-based country-punks Bobby’s Oar are streaming their new EP Knots. The new four song EP was released May 3rd and features some great guitar riffs, amazing songwriting and just enough keyboard to keep your head moving.
You can check out the new album below.
This is the first new music from Bobby’s Oar since the 2017 release Not What I’m Looking For. If you’re a fan of Morgan or the Raygun Cowboys, you’ll enjoy these guys. [Read more…]
Canadian ska legends The Planet Smashers have released a video for their new song “Too Much Information” which just so happens to be the title track to their new album which is out next week. Stomp Records will be releasing the new album and to celebrate the new music, the boys will be out touring […]
Canadian ska legends The Planet Smashers have released a video for their new song “Too Much Information” which just so happens to be the title track to their new album which is out next week. Stomp Records will be releasing the new album and to celebrate the new music, the boys will be out touring and no doubt guzzling some brews and sharing their maple-flavored ska with our friends to the South.
You can check out the video for “Too Much Information” below.
The Planet Smashers last release was Mixed Messages back in 2014. If you’re a fan of The Toasters or The Specials then The Planet Smashers are for you, eh! [Read more…]
Vancouver folk-punker Jesse LeBourdais is streaming the first song “See You In The Storm” off of his upcoming three song EP. The new EP is being released today (May 7th), so scoot on over to Jesse LeBourdais’ Bandcamp page now to get your copy. You can check out the first song off the upcoming EP […]
Vancouver folk-punker Jesse LeBourdais is streaming the first song “See You In The Storm” off of his upcoming three song EP. The new EP is being released today (May 7th), so scoot on over to Jesse LeBourdais’ Bandcamp page now to get your copy.
You can check out the first song off the upcoming EP below.
This is the first new music from the West Coast folk punk act since 2017’s Grief Intensity Friendship. If you’re a fan of The Menzingers or The Penske File you will enjoy Jesse LeBourdais as well. [Read more…]
The kings of dirty reggae The Aggrolites have announced that they are releasing a new album. REGGAE NOW! will be released May 24th via Pirates Press Records. The Aggrolites front-man Wagner had this to say about the upcoming album: “We wanted to keep it real,” Wagner says. “Even though we were proud of [2009 album] IV, we know we […]
The kings of dirty reggae The Aggrolites have announced that they are releasing a new album. REGGAE NOW! will be released May 24th via Pirates Press Records. The Aggrolites front-man Wagner had this to say about the upcoming album: “We wanted to keep it real,” Wagner says. “Even though we were proud of [2009 album] IV, we know we went outside the box a little on that one. This time around, we decided to keep it natural: Simple, two-chord reggae. It’s feel-good music. We know what people like out of us. Let’s just be us.”
You can check out the first track off the upcoming album below.
To celebrate the new album, The Aggrolites will be heading out on an extensive tour with The Long Beach Dub All-Stars beginning in late May and ending in early August. The Aggrolites last released IV back in 2009. [Read more…]
Masked Intruder are one of those bands that people either love or hate, with few on the fence about whether or not they like them. I happen to be one of the people who love them, even if gimmicks aren’t usually my thing when it comes to bands. Yellow, Blue, Red, and Green did it […]
Masked Intruder are one of those bands that people either love or hate, with few on the fence about whether or not they like them. I happen to be one of the people who love them, even if gimmicks aren’t usually my thing when it comes to bands. Yellow, Blue, Red, and Green did it again, though, with their new album, III, which picks up where the band left off with M.I. in 2014. What a wait – even with the “Love and Other Crimes” EP in the middle of it – but they made it worth our time.
The album is full of songs about relationships and crime, as anyone would expect from the band. Nonetheless, it is pop-punk at its finest. The album gets started right away with, “No Case,” an anthem for anyone who can say they are in no way guilty of anything they are being accused of. Which may be a theme for this band, but hey, what works… works.
“All Of My Love” is a super-catchy song that is classic Masked Intruder, as is “Not Fair,” which tells the story of how unfair it is that a girl has a boyfriend who isn’t good enough for her and she’d be better off with the guy stalking her from a treehouse. Because that’s what this band is all about – and exactly why they work so well. (And who hasn’t done something like that once or twice?)
“I’m Free (At Last)” is probably the best song about getting out of jail? A relationship? Both? that’s ever been written. It’s absolutely celebratory and a great sing-along song for anyone who is celebrating any kind of freedom in their lives. Likewise, “Gimme Parole” is a song just begging for that break for being over a girl. Is the song about literal parole? Figurative? Does it matter? Not in the slightest. The song is catchy and fun and a single minute of nothing other than pop punk perfection.
Each song segues perfectly into the next and there’s not a weak link among the twelve songs that make up III. For a band only on their third full-length release, this is quite an accomplishment. Most bands have at least one annoying or subpar song, but not Masked Intruder.
This is the punk rock I grew up on – only taken to the next level. Lots of love, lots of heartbreak, lots of innocence, lots of crime… a bit of stalking… and total fun. Even they know they sound like The Queers and all the Lookout! bands of the 1990s – mixed with more rock and even doo-wop influences. The band says they are influenced by everything from the Mr. T Experience and Misfits to Journey and Boston. This should not work, and yet it does. Carried by harmony and driving punk rock music, this is far and away an album that can be considered a triumph for the band.
This is one of my favorites of 2019, thus far, and probably still will be at the end of the year. There’s not a bad song on the whole album, so it is most certainly going to be on heavy rotation, where it belongs. Nonetheless, I’ll do my best not to use it as an instructional guide to life, lest Office Bradford comes looking for me.
You can stream the album below to hear what I am talking about and decide for yourself. Great? Or GREAT?
4/5 Stars
Hailing from Scotland, The Murderburgers are a catchy pop-punk band that writes songs about anything and everything, including alcoholism, depression, and other sad subjects – in happy-sounding songs. It sounds confusing, but it works. What a Mess is an excellently put together album, with driving drums, guitar, and bass and high-end vocals (think Screeching Weasel […]
Hailing from Scotland, The Murderburgers are a catchy pop-punk band that writes songs about anything and everything, including alcoholism, depression, and other sad subjects – in happy-sounding songs. It sounds confusing, but it works. What a Mess is an excellently put together album, with driving drums, guitar, and bass and high-end vocals (think Screeching Weasel – but with a slight Scottish brogue). The harmonies in each song really make them, though – especially since the band tends to shun the standard verse–chorus–verse style of songwriting.
Each song is a self-contained story about something, including ruining Christmas Eve. (Hey, things happen, right?) and singer Fraser Murderburger has a knack for telling these stories and opening his heart up without losing even the tiniest bit of punk credibility, since the songs are just so goddamned good.
This is their sixth full-length album, in addition to EPs and solo albums, and yet, the music still sounds fresh and new. What a Mess is definitely not a rehash of the band’s past, yet it maintains their musical sensibilities and is immediately recognizable as a Murderburgers release at the same time. They have some magical power to keep what works while still growing and maturing as a band.
The album opens with “Turning 30 Was An Eye-Opener” – which starts off as an acoustic-almost-acapella song before breaking into fast skate punk type music, and explores life at 30. It’s a great way to open the album and prepare the listener for what’s to come. Stand-out track, “The Art of Being a Sad Sack of Shit” is brutally honest and real, as is the aforementioned “I’m Sorry About Christmas Eve” (which is referenced later on, in “The Things That Help You Sleep At Night”, somewhat tying the whole album together, as that is the second to last song).
The album ends on a positive note, with the singalong, “The Thing That Helps Me Survive” – a song with a lot of whoah-ohs and the repeated lyrics, “I want to stay alive…”. And I agree – I want this band to stay alive and keep releasing music like this. It’s real and raw and worth a listen or on hundred.
Overall, whether you’re already a fan of the band or this is your introduction to the band, this is an all-around great album from a band that is definitely going places. This just might even be the release that breaks them big time, considering just how good each and every song is. Ideal for fans of Descendents, Direct Hit!, and Welter.
4/5 stars
Pop punk legends New Found Glory have shared another video from their new ‘From The Screen To Your Stereo Part 3’ out May 3 via Hopeless Records. This time it’s “Let It Go” from the animated film “Frozen.” They clearly had a lot of fun making this cover EP and the videos. Check out the video below.
Pop punk legends New Found Glory have shared another video from their new ‘From The Screen To Your Stereo Part 3’ out May 3 via Hopeless Records. This time it’s “Let It Go” from the animated film “Frozen.” They clearly had a lot of fun making this cover EP and the videos.
Check out the video below.
Blink-182 appear to have deleted all posts on their Instagram, spurring the idea that they are about to release something new. The veteran pop punk band have been working on their second studio album with John Feldmann over the past few months. Mark Hoppus has previously stated that whilst California (released in 2016) was in […]
Blink-182 appear to have deleted all posts on their Instagram, spurring the idea that they are about to release something new. The veteran pop punk band have been working on their second studio album with John Feldmann over the past few months. Mark Hoppus has previously stated that whilst California (released in 2016) was in the vein of Enema Of The State, this new album will be more akin to the self titled album (released in 2003). As well as Feldmann, the band have been working with the likes of The Chainsmokers and Pharrell Williams. The results of these collaborations should be interesting to say the least
After a 30 minute stint listening to some soul crushing hardcore I seriously needed a lift in spirits. Thankfully Massachusetts ska act The Pomps were next up in the editorial inbox with an announcement of their new single titled “P.A.D.D.” It’s poppy, it’s catchy, it’s got jammy organs that will have you vigorously nodding your head if not […]
After a 30 minute stint listening to some soul crushing hardcore I seriously needed a lift in spirits. Thankfully Massachusetts ska act The Pomps were next up in the editorial inbox with an announcement of their new single titled “P.A.D.D.” It’s poppy, it’s catchy, it’s got jammy organs that will have you vigorously nodding your head if not actually skanking around your living room, and you can do so by streaming it below.
This single marks the band’s first release since 2017’s Alternate America EP.
Here’s something to smash some furniture and cry to. Belgian hardcore act Sundays have recently released a new EP titled “Free At Loss” and it makes me want to rage at the world, break down and weep, and throw a chair through my upstairs window all at the same time. And for some reason that’s a good […]
Here’s something to smash some furniture and cry to. Belgian hardcore act Sundays have recently released a new EP titled “Free At Loss” and it makes me want to rage at the world, break down and weep, and throw a chair through my upstairs window all at the same time. And for some reason that’s a good thing. Join me with the simple click of the “play” button below.