Before we start the review…let me take you back to a venue in Copenhagen in 2015. We are in Pumpehuset, and Less Than Jake just left the stage. After a break, Yellowcard appears, and I’m fangirling as if it was 2004 (yes, I know Ocean Avenue was released in 2003… But I was 12 in […]
Before we start the review…let me take you back to a venue in Copenhagen in 2015. We are in Pumpehuset, and Less Than Jake just left the stage. After a break, Yellowcard appears, and I’m fangirling as if it was 2004 (yes, I know Ocean Avenue was released in 2003… But I was 12 in 2003. I didn’t get a computer until 2004.) The friends I went with aren’t, to this day, Yellowcard fans. But hell, through breakups, reunions, and shitty albums, I stand by them. But that was the night Ryan Key informed us that Yellowcard was breaking up. In my world, eight years ago, that would be the first and last time I saw Yellowcard in action. I was in tears. Eight. Years. Later. Guess who is taking pictures of Yellowcard in the photo pit at Slam Dunk? ME!! And that was a dream come true, and also the weekend that Dying Scene got me out of my retirement, so I’ll take pictures at your child, best friend, sister’s wedding. Guess who is seeing them live again, and in my opinion, better than ever? ME and my truly amazing friends.
That intro was a bit long, but let’s admit it. You come for my witty backstories and stay for my sassy opinions – and I will deliver. Just keep ready, babes.
CHILDHOOD EYES
Yellowcard returns – TODAY – with a new EP… And well, let’s start from the top.
“Three Minutes More” doesn’t exactly show Yellowcard‘s full potential. It’s not a bad song because Vic Fuentes from Pierce The Veil is on it… Will I be hanged for this comment? But this song was stronger than the whole The Jaws Of Lifealbum. Vic, if you read this, pull the band in this direction.
“Childhood Eyes” brings in the full force of Yellowcard and what they are capable of. As someone who grew up with Yellowcard and has now become my own person, this song did hit a certain place in my heart. The lyrics are weak, but the delivery of them is actually flawless.
“Hiding in the Light” intro reminds me of early Yellowcard, and for a second, Ryan’s vocals took me back. I actually find this song to be the biggest stand-out on the EP. It reminds me of early Yellowcard, but not in a “we didn’t grow” way. No, no, it’s clear from the lyrics that they, in fact, have grown.
“Honest From The Jump” … “WE WERE JUST DISTANT STARS…” tell me more; this song actually caught my son’s attention. Yes, I turned a seven-year-old into a Yellowcard fan. But he convinced me to give it a chance. And I want to say the chorus is definitely one of my favorites on the EP. I’ve screamed the lyrics 100 times. But Keys’ delivery makes me shiver and get goosebumps each time I hear it. And the violins break my heart each moment on this song… “You werenot honest from the jump”… Shit.
“The Places We’ll Go (feat. Chris Carrabba of Dashboard Confessional)“… the awful guitar intro… You know this song will pull teeth. I truly find this song annoying, and I get tired each time I hear it. Like, Yellowcard “wants to show they’ve grown,” but the fact this song lacks everything I need to be convinced… It sounds like some shit a guy from Nordsjælland (for those in America, just your average fuckboy. But we have them in one location) could tell me. I’m not into it. I’m actually over it.
Despite that one song… Yellowcard is back and I’m here for it, although this makes me tired because of that one song. Buuuuuuuuuuuuuut, I’m also hesitant about it, you know? Bring me something better than Ocean Avenueand I’ll admit defeat.
Friends…It’s new release day – let’s discuss this because I’m here for it!
American Thrills grabbed my attention about a year ago thanks to one of those pesky Instagram ads that everyone seems to despise. For once, I’m thankful one of those scrolled across my screen because it introduced me to another New England punk band to obsess over (and another possible candidate for my upper-arm collection of […]
American Thrills grabbed my attention about a year ago thanks to one of those pesky Instagram ads that everyone seems to despise. For once, I’m thankful one of those scrolled across my screen because it introduced me to another New England punk band to obsess over (and another possible candidate for my upper-arm collection of New England punk tattoos).
It was their Discount Casket EP that gave me a little taste of what these guys had to offer. The only problem was I was left craving more, something a full-length could only satisfy. Luckily, my cravings were satisfied after a relatively short wait, and when I say satisfied, I mean that these dudes released a fuckin’ ripper.
Their recent release Parted Ways hints at the familiar Northeast sounds of the Gaslight Anthem and the Menzingers (who coincidentally were competitors of the same time slot during Fest 20) that many have compared AT to, yet they play their own unique brand of punk rock that I was glad to see added to the always reputable Wiretap Records lineup, one I can always count on the turn out stellar under-the-radar artists.
It was truly a pleasure to shoot the shit with 50% of one of my recent favorite Limp Bizkit-loving bands. These dudes have put out two EPs and a full-length that are truly worth checking out. Parted Ways is linked below, followed by the awesome chat I had with Jamie and Jeff. Cheers!
(Editor’s note: The following has been edited and condensed for clarity’s sakebecause a good chunk of this interview was just three guys shooting the shit.)
Dying Scene (Nathan Kernell NastyNate): Hey, it’s great to talk with you guys. I’ve followed you guys for quite a bit, I think right before Discount Casket came out. So yeah, I wanted to get started and talk to you guys obviously about the new record. Starting off, was this just like a collection of songs that you guys kind of built up and you’re just like ‘okay now we’ve got enough for a record’ or did you sit down with the end goal of like ‘let’s write enough stuff to release a full-length’?
Jamie Otfinoski: You know we wanted to write a full-length, but we did it kind of segmentally, we would do like chunks of songs and it was just a process. We would have demos we’d start to work on, then we’d jump to something else, then like come back to it. But ultimately the end goal was like ‘let’s put out a fuckin’ full length’. Because from my perspective, a lot of bands today do like single after single after single, and I get that because there’s like a method to the madness with like Spotify and all that shit, but at the end of the day like the bands I’m really into, like I’m into a record. I want a whole fuckin’ record and listen to a band to really get the vibe of the band.
Right, I get that. With you guys, you kind of released a single at a time leading up to the record, right, then you put out the whole thing?
Jamie: Yeah we did like four or five singles then we dropped like the last four songs all at once. And once again, that’s the whole thing with the internet, like Spotify and trying to build buzz, they want you to do singles. But ultimately we wanted to roll them into some sort of full-length so people could like sit down and check out our band with a little more than just like one song here and there.
So that was kind of a different approach from these previous eps you released?
Jamie: Yeah, you know we really wanted to, like we did two EPs, we’re like ‘we really wanna go all in and do a full-length’. And the guys at Wiretap were down to work with us on it which was totally rad and it made it that much more awesome. But we wanted to do something full and cohesive where we could do vinyl and finally put out like our first full-length record.
So what was the songwriting approach on this? Do you guys have one main songwriter or is it more of a team effort, what’s that look like?
Jamie: So Kurt, our vocalist/ guitarist, he kind of like, I wanna say he takes some of the reins. We always have a group text going and Kurt will like come up with a chunk of a song and go like ‘hey, check out this chorus?’. And then what we’ll do is we’ll get together and practice and we’ll kind of just like start playing it and rolling until we’re like ‘oh, that’s cool, what’s a cool verse to follow’ or vice versa. It’s like a collective approach, but somebody’s always bringing stuff to the table. Same thing with Paul, the other guitarist, he’ll have like a cool riff, he’ll lay it down and then we’ll turn that riff into a song. So it’s collective, but the two guitarists are kind of bringing the big chunks to practices.
So is there kind of a theme with this new record?
Jamie: You know, we’re like a bunch of old salty dudes that kind of like hate our hometown…
Jeff Wielk: I wouldn’t say hate…
Jamie: We don’t hate it, but you know, we don’t love it either. You know the record’s about like getting older, losing friends, losing family, you know just being disheartened by the people we kind of grew up with who maybe ended up turning out to be maybe not who we thought they would be. It’s just a theme of like get the hell out of our hometown, you know we’re old and salty.
Are you guys born and raised up there [in Connecticut]?
Jamie: Born and raised, yeah.
Jeff: Yeah all of us, we’re from the same hometown originally.
Jamie: You know up here in the North, we talk crap about our community, but ultimately, Connecticut’s not a bad place to grow up, kind of expensive I guess. But outside of that, it’s good people, it’s what we’re used to.
Jeff: We definitely could’ve grown up somewhere worse. New England’s got some great music.
Jamie: That’s the one thing about Connecticut too is like, the tours they come and they play in New York and then they skip Connecticut and play Boston. So we’re like right in the middle, you gotta either drive to New York or Boston to see the shows, nobody wants to play Connecticut.
So yeah, I wanted to talk now about specific tracks here. My favorite track off the record was “Ivy League Swing,” and I wanted to talk about what the songwriting for that looked like, the meaning behind it, some of its background.
Jeff: Paul, uh, wrote that initial riff in the beginning after the song starts with singing. And that first riff, that was like the first thing to come out for that song.
Jamie: That was one that Paul brought to the table and was like ‘I have this really cool guitar riff, let’s make it into a song’. We heard it and we were jazzed up on it and just kind of melded its way into that tune.
So this is more of a ‘me’ question, something I’m always curious about. What’s your guys’ songwriting look like, like how does it work; do you guys come up with like riffs first and then lyrics later, or I know some guys start with lyrics and then kind of build the song around it. It’s something I’ve always struggled with, how to kind of progress through writing a song.
Jamie: It goes both ways; sometimes Kurt will come to the table with like some lyrics over a little riff or a chorus and then we’ll expand on it, where other times, like that song “Ivy League Swing,” Paul actually came with a riff. He’s the guitarist, he doesn’t put the vocals over it, so Kurt kind of took the riff, changed it a little bit, and was able to make it into a song, put lyrics over it. Yeah it actually goes both ways with us, but I’d say for the most part, like 75% of the time, Kurt will have like some part of the song that has some sort of vocal guitar part together and we’ll just build off of it.
Jeff: Yeah like the main hook or whatever…
Yeah like I said, I’ve kind of heard it both ways and I’m always curious with everybody I talk to, I like asking that.
Jeff: Yeah I think it’s mostly instrumental. I’m 90% sure that Kurt kind of comes up with the lyrics afterwards.
So yeah “Ivy League Swing,” that’s my favorite track off the record. What about you guys, you guys have a favorite?
Jeff: Yeah, “Interpretation.” It’s just so different from what we normally do you know. Little bit different of a time signature, I don’t know. I’m like a mid-2000s emo-core kind of guy you know *laughs*
Jamie: I like “Sinking,” when we play live, it just starts off like fast and it’s got an interesting beat to it. It’s a quick little ripper. I like those songs live, they’re just fun to play because there’s so much energy.
You guys had that album release show the other night, what, at Stonebridge? Yeah how was that?
Jamie: Yeah a good old place in our hometown.
Jeff: It’s like a towny bar…
Yeah how was the reception there?
Jamie: It was awesome. Yeah we sold the place out, maybe like 150, 170 people. It was a blast. Andy from Hot Rod Circuit came out and he did an acoustic set. Split Coils played, which is Jay also from Hot Rod Circuit, they’re incredible. And this newer Connecticut band called Shortwave was just fuckin’ awesome. I mean it was really a great time seeing you know all the friends and just having all our buddies come out to see us play our hometown, it was just an awesome thing to be a part of.
Awesome, yeah. So I wanted to talk about Fest 20 a little bit. I was down there and it was actually my first Fest, wasn’t a bad Fest to start out on for my first one I guess.
Jeff: Yeah probably the best one yet.
How was your guys’ show down there?
Jeff: It was awesome, yeah. Super sick.
Jamie: The only downside was our set was right when the Menzingers were playing, which is like tough competition there. But all our buddies came out, we had a good showing, I mean it was fun. I like the smaller venues at Fest. Like I go to the big venues, like I go to Bo Diddley and I watch these bands, but I love seeing bands at like these smaller venues, like Loosey’s, and, where’d we play this year…
Jeff: Palomino, it was awesome.
Jamie: You like pack it out with a hundred people in there and it’s just awesome.
Yeah I think my favorite show from the entire thing was the Dopamines over at the Wooly. That was insane. Do you guys have a favorite set from Fest?
Jeff: This Fest I made it a point, I never even went to Bo Diddley. I never made it there this year. I made it a point to see like not big bands you know. So yeah, my favorite set, there’s this band, I wanna say they’re from Atlanta, and they’re called Seagulls. Dude that band was literally insane. And another set, they’re called You Vandal, they’re from Gainesville, their set was sick. They also did an AFI cover set.
Yeah I kind of agree with what you guys were saying about the smaller venue vibe, it kind of got overwhelming. Like here in Nashville, any of the punk shows, they’re all real intimate, not a lot of people there usually, they’re never sold out. So going to like Bo Diddley it’s a little overwhelming, like I’m seeing Avail but I’m all the way in the fuckin’ back, you know. But seeing like Dopamines, that’s more of what I’m used to. It was cool seeing these bands in these smaller venues that I’ve kind of idolized forever.
So then circling back to Wiretap, how’d you guys get on there, can you walk me through that a little bit?
Jamie: So you know, I’ve always liked a lot of the bands on there, like I’ve had a vinyl from like Spanish Love Songs and all these bands that I’ve followed and looked up to. And some newer bands too are on the label, American Television, some like kind of local guys that are just awesome. So we hit up Rob, we sent him something, we sent him like “Discount Casket” and he was like ‘hey, this is really cool, I wanna put this on …’ he does like a bimonthly charity comp towards like a good cause. He put that on one of his comps. And we were like ‘ oh cool, we’ll keep in touch.’ So then as we started kind of sitting down and putting tracks together for the full-length, we just hit him up again and we’re like ‘hey, we’re thinking about putting out a record, we’re gonna put it out hopefully before Fest. Are you interested?’. But Rob was really like gung-ho and down for it and got us rolling really early on. He was just a great guy to work with, I mean Wiretap has put out so many great releases and he’s so involved with like the scene and a lot of great charity efforts; he’s just overall a great dude in so many ways. So we’re happy to work with him and we’re lucky that we get the chance to put out a record with him.
Yeah I can’t remember when I realized you guys were on Wiretap, but I was happy to see you guys on there because they always have a real solid lineup, everybody on Wiretap I always love.
Jamie: Yeah it’s great.
So you mentioned the Menzingers down at Fest and your guys’ set times clashing, and when I first started listening to you guys, I immediately started getting Gaslight Anthem and Menzingers vibes. I think it was with Punk Rock Theory that they talked about sounding like GA also. But coming from your point of view, what are your guys influences?
Jamie: We get a lot of the Gaslight Anthem, I don’t know, maybe Kurt’s vocals and kind of in that vein. You know, we were in like old school pop-punk bands in the early 2000s, you know we grew up on bands like Hot Rod Circuit, the Get-Up Kids, and kind of like that genre of bands. But more recently, I’ve personally listened to a lot of the Gaslight Anthem, the Menzingers, they all kind of fall into the mix too. So I like to think we’re somewhere in between like those bands and that original scene with all the like emo punky bands. Some sort of blend of the two, I hope, maybe.
So what about a tour, do you guys have anything planned coming up for promoting the record?
Jamie: We’re trying to get something together for the Spring. We have a show coming up, but we’re gonna kind of lay low for the Winter and the holidays. We have a show coming up in January with Teenage Halloween, one of the local bands up here. Awesome if you don’t know those guys, they’re from Jersey actually, incredible. And then we’re trying to get something together for the Spring, we’re talking to some of our buddies around here to do a few dates, but we’re just trying to get everything together, we don’t have anything set in stone quite yet.
So Jamie, you’re the surgeon right?
Jamie: Yeah.
So how do you juggle that with playing shows like that; how do you juggle having enough time with your band and with work because when I hear ‘surgeon’ you kind of think like 80-hour work weeks, crazy work times, no time off.
Jamie: When I was in residency doing all my training stuff, I wouldn’t be able to do what we do now. But now that I’m in private practice, I’m in a good group, I’m on reasonable call schedule. And they’re all supportive of what I do, they think it’s cool. But it is a balancing act with like trying to book shows and playing out around the call schedule. You know all of us are in like our mid-30s to late-30s, so we’re all like career, kids, jobs. So we get out there when we can, just little tours and runs, try to get down to Fest every year. But you know, I don’t see us going out for like a month on the road. We’re kind of weekend warriors at this point.
So a little off-topic, but let’s talk Limp Bizkit here *laughs*.
Jeff: Oh yeah that’s why we’re here!
In your Fest bio, you were called a Limp Bizkit cover band. Give me some background on that.
Jamie: You know *laughs*, we listen to Limp Bizkit. We grew up in the 90s…
Jeff: My first band was a straight-up nu metal band…
Jamie: Dude he was straight up playing Korn covers. You know like people shit all over these bands, we grew up on this stuff and we love this stuff, we embrace this stuff. As much as I like the Gaslight Anthem, I’ll spin a Limp Bizkit record too.
Jeff: Think about this, how many hardcore kids in the late 90s hated Slipknot, but those same hardcore kids now love Slipknot. Yeah I don’t know…
Jamie: With Limp Biskit it’s kind of like a funny thing, but we really like Limp Bizkit and people are just joking around like shitting on it. We listen to Limp Bizkit and we want everyone to know, we’re just trying to put that out there *laughs*.
Right that’s confidence right there *laughs*. Most people are too proud to admit it.
Jeff: Their newest record is fire man.
I’ve heard bits and pieces and it’s not bad. Well that about covers everything I think, I really wanted to hit hard on the new record, hopefully this can help promote it a little bit. We’ve actually been steadily seeing reader numbers rise since the relaunch, especially with that blink-182 thing a while back.
Jamie: Yeah Dying Scene used to be the shit man. Yeah back in the day it was like Absolute Punk, and then Punknews was always there, and then Dying Scene. They were like the three big ones. At least outside of like AP and all that shit I don’t really care about. All the bands I liked were on those sites, that’s where I was checking to find the new stuff. Glad you guys are back.
Yeah I appreciate you guys sitting down with me.
Jamie: Yeah thanks for reaching out and talking with us man, we appreciate it.
Hi babes! Don’t worry; I’ve missed you too. But how are you enjoying those summer flings you’ve picked up over the spring? Yeah, they are nice, huh? Well – for many, good things don’t last, and here’s what this post is about; break-up season. It appears twice a year for those who haven’t heard of […]
Hi babes! Don’t worry; I’ve missed you too. But how are you enjoying those summer flings you’ve picked up over the spring? Yeah, they are nice, huh? Well – for many, good things don’t last, and here’s what this post is about; break-up season.
It appears twice a year for those who haven’t heard of the so-called break-up season. The first season is during May/June – in time for those lovely festivals, and now winter is over, so many don’t feel like sitting on the couch doing nothing. And again in September/October because now summer has hit its final note, and many want the person they can snuggle up on the couch with.
And if you’re like me, wondering why it can’t be the same person? Apparently, for some, it’s with the mentality that a) the person you clung to in the cold winter and drank red wine with possibly can’t be a party animal as well. Wouldn’t that person not rather sit at home and watch the trilogy of Lord of The Rings than go feral during some bands they mentioned they liked but couldn’t like as much as me and my friends? b) they didn’t want to commit, and that sucks to hear. But sometimes it’s so simple. “Karina, you only mentioned those poor winter/autumn partners. Why don’t we stay with the partners we found during our summer?” – This is actually going to feel like a slap in your face. But here it goes; you know how you acted during the festivals, pool parties, beach BBQs, or whatever? Those dummies don’t want to take that home to their parents and likely found someone new on Tinder (or so I was told back in 2011 by the guy I was seeing). Fuck them either way. They suck. You don’t.
So what did I do to help the fallen ones get through this? I’ve made you a playlist of what I call the best songs to help you get through a breakup, and sorry, babes, I didn’t add any Taylor Swift! But I have a playlist with her on it if you want it. But first, let’s go through the top five of the playlist and talk about why it’s on.
KARINA’S TOP FIVE CHOICES TO MEND A BROKEN HEART
Fleeting love of what could have been? Don’t you ever wonder where a past crush ended up? So did Hot Mulligan! And therefore, they are number 1 on my list.
What’s a heartbreaking list without The Wonder Years? Last year they released an album that had parents in tears. But now they released a b-side of some album, which sums up everything I can relate to — broken trust and still longing for someone.
It’s Fall Out Boy. They made a career out of having their hearts broken and breaking teens’ hearts back in the ’00s. Hell, Patrick Stump broke mine. But this is mature, and it’s actually one of those that you catch yourself jamming to with friends at a BBQ — total sing-along.
Spanish Love Songs… They stole my heart and broke it when they canceled their concert in Copenhagen due to Covid. But this song, and I might add seeing them at Slam Dunk in May, i’s what takes the cake for me. They are my go-to.
These guys aren’t new but are finally gaining their deserved attention. If Graham from Sad Park sang this during a concert, I might actually be the one sobbing in the back. The whole album is great, but I love this song.
For more, I’ve added the full playlist below, and please, let’s add to it together and send it to our friends. Even Forever Unclean and Goodbye Blue Monday once again makes a deserved appearance.
Greetings, fellow degenerates! Welcome to the latest installment of the Dying Scene Record Radar. If it’s your first time here, thank you for joining us! This is a weekly column where we cover all things punk rock vinyl; new releases, reissues… you name it, we got it. So kick off your shoes, pull up a […]
Greetings, fellow degenerates! Welcome to the latest installment of the Dying Scene Record Radar. If it’s your first time here, thank you for joining us! This is a weekly column where we cover all things punk rock vinyl; new releases, reissues… you name it, we 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!
NOFX makes yet another appearance on the Record Radar, this week with two releases! Up first is their upcoming record Double Album, which is now available to pre-order on colored vinyl. Fat Wreck has the LP (along with a shitload of bundles) available on their webstore. Europeans can grab it here, and our Australian friends can buy it here. Check out the album’s latest single “Punk Rock Cliché” below.
The other NOFX record making an appearance in this week’s column is a brand new EU-exclusive color variant (see the picture) of the almighty Punk in Drublic. Go here to get your hands on this one.
Next up is Bad Religion with a new pressing of 2004’s The Empire Strikes First. This red and black marbled LP is a Newbury Comics exclusive, limited to 600 copies. Grab it here.
Also from Newbury Comics: a new pressing of Flogging Molly‘s Drunken Lullabies, limited to 500 copies on “clear with yellow and purple splatter” colored vinyl. Get your copy here.
In addition to recording a new album, Frenzal Rhomb recently announced 2003’s Sans Souci would be released on wax for the first time. If the “Russel Crowe Shit Brown” colored vinyl didn’t do it for you, they’ve revealed additional variant! The LP is available to pre-order on “Ballchef Blood Red” colored vinyl here.
Another recently-announced reissue to get a new color variant is Less Than Jake’s ever-divisive In With the Out Crowd. In addition to the purple LP limited to 1,000 copies, LTJ now has a blue variant on their webstore. It’s limited to 500 copies and they want… $40 for it.
Revelation Records has an exclusive color variant of the upcoming LP from Lenny Lashley’s Gang of One. This pressing of Five Great Egrets on yellow vinyl is limited to 100 copies. Check out the first single “Heart of Stone” below, and grab the record here.
The Dickies have announced a new 7″ with some old-ass (previously unreleased) songs. “Blink 183” was supposedly recorded for a Fat Wreck Chords compilation but didn’t make the cut, and “Clean Money” is a b-side from their 2001 album All This And Puppet Stew. These are good songs (listen below for yourself), but $16 for a two-track 7″ is insane. If you can stomach the asking price, feel free to buy it here.
The 1991 debut album from French melodic punk veterans Burning Heads is getting a 30th Anniversary reissue on Radiation Records. If you’re a fan of that fast, melodic 90’s Epifat sound, I highly recommend checking these guys out (they were briefly on Epitaph btw). Check out my favorite track below, and go here to get a copy of this great record.
Spanish Love Songs‘ 2018 LP Schmaltz is back in print on a few new color variants, limited to 250 copies each. Grab your copy here. A few colors have already sold out, so you’ll want to act fast.
Citizen‘s Youth has been reissued on “highlighter yellow” colored vinyl. Head over to their Bandcamp page to grab this one.
Today’s the day! Now available to order (and shipping immediately) are three brand new reissues from MxPx. After being out of print since the turn of the century, Life in General, Slowly Going the Way of the Buffalo, and The Ever Passing Moment are back on wax. Head over to the band’s webstore to get a piece of the action.
RECORD OF THE WEEK!
We here at Dying Scene are all about trying new things, so this week I’m challenging you, loyal reader, to listen to something new! This week’s Record of the Week comes from a band featured on our recent “Ten Underrated Punk Bands That Should Be On Your Radar” column. If you like blazing fast skate punk in the vein of Belvedere and Mute, you’ll wanna check out Quebec City’s Fullcount and their 2018 LP Part of the Game. Give it a listen below, and grab that beautiful colored wax here.
And 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, 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. See ya next week!
*Wanna catch up on all of our Record Radar posts? Type “Record Radar” in the search bar at the top of the page!
The Wonder Years frontman Dan Campbell, has been hard at work; in 2014, he created a well-thought-out alter ego known as Aaron West, best defined as “a character study conducted through music” – basically a fictitious telling about his alter ego’s life. The first album, We Don’t Have Each Other, told the story about Aaron […]
The Wonder Years frontman Dan Campbell, has been hard at work; in 2014, he created a well-thought-out alter ego known as Aaron West, best defined as “a character study conducted through music” – basically a fictitious telling about his alter ego’s life. The first album, We Don’t Have Each Other, told the story about Aaron West’s worst year; in 2019, Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties released the follow-up, Routine Maintenance, which according to Campbell, gave the fictitious alter ego a redemption arc and focused on him learning to deal with tragedy instead of going down the self-destructive route. Five years later, the Americana folk project released a new album, In Lieu of Flowers, the third and final album for Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties.
In Lieu of Flowers kicks off with “Smoking Rooms,” a slow acoustic song with voices from a crowded room. Towards the end of the song, horns, guitars, and the beating of drums appear to underline what’s in store for the rest of In Lieu of Flowers. The acoustic guitar is placed in a corner for the following song, “Roman Candles,” which tackles the effects of COVID-19; “But Mom works at the hospital / Every shift is a curse / She’s never seen people this sick before / She says it’s only getting worse”. While we’re two songs into the album, you can already hear it becoming an emotional one because the relatable feeling of wanting to sleep through the horrible pandemic and one’s life standing still throughout it is very evident in the song.
Jumping to “Alone At St. Luke’s” and “Spitting In The Wind”, take it upon themselves to pick the tempo of the songs again; with “Alone At St. Luke’s”, the lyrics are cheeky, (“Fuck The Tories!”) and begin to tackle the narrator’s downward spiral with alcohol again. The pop-punk anthem “Spitting In The Wind” sees West drinking more frequently and tells the story of how it is affecting his relationships around him. “Runnin’ Out Of Excuses” starts with a gentle piano key while West’s vocals are softer. At the same time, we are taken on a journey of entering rehab after his relapse with alcohol, and throughout the song’s progress, he admits that while he has stuff to do, he is staying to make himself better.
The title track and penultimate song, which was also the first single from the album, are relatively upbeat and feature a tremendous horn section. The song serves as an apology to those his drinking affected. You want to sing along with the chorus; the glimmer of hope is there, and not everything is as bleak as you thought. The closing song, “Dead Leaves”, is similar to the opening song—a slow song—but unlike the first song, which was filled with the angst of hopelessness in the air, we hold on to the feeling of hope that came to the surface during “In Lieu of Flowers”. “Up the block when I come to I see our name on the marquee / And smile cause I love you and I know that you found what you need”, finally finding peace.
The ability to build tension in songs, with the same amount of passion from start to finish, has been one of the most profound abilities that Dan Campbell has done in his decades-long career. While not comparing this to any of The Wonder Years albums, Campbell has always been great at writing lyrics for the listeners to interpret for themselves and sometimes even be able to build the visualization in their heads. However, being able to capture the same level of emotion for a fictitious alter ego really gives the listeners an insight into his creative process.
And the emotional impact of feeling lost during the pandemic, letting yourself fall back into the self-destructive behavior that we all heard him work hard to get out of on Routine Maintenance, can have listeners cheering for a happier ending than how the bleak portrayal of the first half of the album seems to be heading. And do we get it? I don’t know, but we get something: the self-realization of how destructive his drinking got, how it affected his surroundings, and checking himself into rehab, all while the undertone of “I can leave whenever, but what does that help me?” lingers in the air during “Runnin’ Out Of Excuses”. And to the end, where the narrator, Aaron West, sees his ex-wife finally having the life he couldn’t give her and being at peace with it, does maybe explore the theme of forgiving oneself instead of him jumping into the gig and getting wasted. While it’s the final album, those last lines of “Dead Leaves”, “The future’s a rhetorical question / So I open the door, and I walk in,” leaves it up for interpretation. I would like to think that while life has given one hardship, the future is untold.
I loved the album. The way In Lieu of Flowers weaves storytelling and music together is one of a kind. From the gut-wrenching moments of listening to Aaron West fall back into a downward spiral, to the moment of reassurance of him realizing that it can’t go on and getting help, had me on an emotional rollercoaster. It can be rare to find an album that has the intensity of pulling you in with the ups and downs. The way the album touches on the different genres, blending with Americana, country, pop-punk, and the modern-day emo that reminds one of the likes of Hot Mulligan and Spanish Love Songs. The album isn’t just music; it’s a story.
Dear Diary, I’ve returned from England. And damn, let’s talk about Slam Dunk and maybe talk about some of the things that need improving for next year. But first, we should thank Slam Dunk for getting me accredited this year. It was awesome. The weather was terrific; it was sunny and bright, which many English […]
Dear Diary,
I’ve returned from England. And damn, let’s talk about Slam Dunk and maybe talk about some of the things that need improving for next year. But first, we should thank Slam Dunk for getting me accredited this year. It was awesome. The weather was terrific; it was sunny and bright, which many English people didn’t expect – so towards the evening, as the sun was going down, there were a lot of sunburnt backs and faces. Even I, the ginger that lathers in sunblock, had a bit of red, but it disappeared. Amazing company! Okay, before I get into how I loved sharing important bands with some of my favorite people…the cell reception sucked and we lost a friend somewhere and didn’t find each other until the end of The Offspring and Enter Shikari’s set. Goddamn! But she was still there. But yes, they are amazing people to watch some of my favorite artists with and share some memories with, even on the shuttle to the afterparty. So, you know, we lost one friend, but a different team of Danes was there as well, and we also spent some of the day trying to find each other. This is ironic because we spent most of the time at the same stage. BUT, happy ending, y’all, and weird moment during Slam Dunk, we all found each other on the same shuttle bus. Friends, all ended well. As for what could be worked on for next year? Well…let’s begin our review of Slam Dunk ’23! Be ready.
So, Sincere Engineer came up at 11:30 in Kerrang! Tent Right Stage. Zand and The Tyne played in different tents, so the crowd wasn’t huge. But it was awesome enough because those who were there were there to see Sincere Engineer in action. Like me, because let’s be honest, this band will be playing big venues in due time. So, starting with no difficulties on the stage, Sincere Engineer played a bit for everyone in those 30 minutes, which I discovered for myself wasn’t enough time. But they did manage to play the bangers, of course. The setlist included, which is not in a particular order, “Overbite,” “Fireplace,” “Trust Me” and “Corn Dog Sonnet No. 7.” They even played the new single, which I didn’t get the name of!
But overall, the best band to kick off Slam Dunk ’23 for me.
Hehe, my biggest guilty pleasure band was on site! And to be honest, I was super excited to see them. I might have been even more excited to interview them after their set, hear who they were excited to see at Slam Dunk, and find out if they’ll ever visit Copenhagen, Denmark. So, what did Travis Mills and Nick Gross say to me after their set? Well, we’ll get to that, but first, let us discuss their set.
And, huge thanks to my friends for watching them with me even though they aren’t fans.
Their set was good. The set list was excellent and varied, mixing their first record and newest EP. They have much energy and could’ve benefited from being placed on the Kerrang! Stage, but that’s my opinion. The fact is, they came and served. Now let’s get to the interview because that was a true highlight of my trip, and as a bonus, I’ve added a nice picture of me and the lads below. And yes, my dear DyingScene readers, I am forcing pop-punk on you.
When I asked Travis and Nick about their tour with Avril Lavigne during her EU tour, Travis said, “It was mindblowing, a dream come true, and she’s the best.” Following up with the question that they started the band two years ago, Travis corrected me and replied, “Two and a half years ago”, leading me to the following questions, what they did before this and how they met; “I had a solo project, and Nick has been in bands since he was a teenager. He played drums for one show for my solo project, and we never played music again. And then we started girlfriends.” Travis told me. I asked Nick which bands he was a part of and boy, we know him. “girlfriends, and Goldfinger” but if you google him, his CV is more impressive than mine. I complimented the chemistry between Travis and Nick, as it genuinely seems they’ve been playing together their whole lives. The boys cracked some jokes about dating, and that’s why the band is called girlfriends, and that’s fine with me.
So, who were they going to watch at Slam Dunk? Travis had the following answer when I asked: “to no surprise, it’s the homies The Maine, The Hunna, we definitely gotta watch JXDN, Sueco, we’re just trying to catch all our homies”. To my curiosity, where was the name, Charlotte Sands? Well, that’s their girl, so no doubt they would catch her set. As lovely as I am, I’m also extremely cheeky in that I may have asked if they knew who DyingScene.com was, but they didn’t. But now they did, and it’s MEEE. So I asked what they had to say to fans. “One, thank you for listening and giving our band a chance. Two, there’s a revival going around (on the scene), as in the early days when bands had friendships and real relationships. And that’s what the scene was missing, and it’s cool to see it come back around” and while some of you readers will disagree, please remember to have a friendly tone about it. Aaaaand to end the interview in the best way possible, I hope this can give the Danish fanbase some hope for some time. I did ask if they had any plans on coming to Copenhagen – but in my defense, I didn’t ask when. But here’s what girlfriends had to say. “We must come to Copenhagen. This isn’t even a question. We must do it, Copenhagen here we come.”
…. Words can’t describe this set. But it’s fair to admit that I am a massive fan of Spanish Love Songs. As soon as the first note from “Routine Pain” started, I started crying. But not sad tears. Okay, both happy and sad tears, but seriously this band is fantastic. They also played “Haunted” from their upcoming album No Joy. Eight songs played, and off the stage they went. Along with The Menzingers – but we’ll get to them, their set was probably the one that seemed like it flew by the most.
Fireworks
I may have forgotten that Fireworks also had a set and actually randomly stumbled upon them outside. So this was an impromptu show between Spanish Love Songs, interviewing girlfriends, and catching Charlotte Sands. It was a good show, and it was just a shame that the microphone seemed to be a bit too low. But overall, I didn’t leave disappointed. I’d like to see them again. And people in the crowd were talking about how they looked forward to seeing Fireworks and how they liked the album they released this year.
Charlotte Sands
“I’m throwin’ a tantrum, coming in so chaotic…” and that is precisely what she did! Okay, the sound could’ve been better. But she isn’t the sound tech, so it’s not her fault. But damn, her pipes came and conquered! When I describe her to people who haven’t heard about her, I call her Michelle Branch if MB is emo. But in reality, Charlotte Sands is much more than that. And I think her performance at Slam Dunk was good; the mistakes that happened were out of her control. But her performance is so energetic, and her talent did shine through.
No hello, The Menzies come out and pop things off with “Charlie’s Army,” which is one of my favorite songs by them. And, uh, what a set. They performed the goodies like “Good Things,” “America (You’re Freaking Me Out),” “After The Party,” “Midwestern States,” “House on Fire,” oh fricking hell…they spoiled us with a new song from their upcoming album! The song was called “There’s No Place In This World For Me” and I wasn’t expecting anything new, so my head exploded! I cried a bit, but let’s face it…this wouldn’t be the last time I cried a bit during Slam Dunk. The Menzingers were flawless, but now I need that new album!
“My eyes can’t believe what they have seen…” as William Beckett jumps around like he hasn’t aged. Sure, the brown locks have a hint of grey in them. But to be honest, I’m okay with that. As a few might have read, TAI does have a special place in my heart, an inside joke between my deceased uncle and I kept going up until last year. And now I saw them, which was emotional and overwhelming at best. Sadly I didn’t return home with a TAI tattoo, but I did return home with bragging rights that I’ve shot concert pictures AND screamed along to their songs. Can we all agree that they were exceptional?! Hands down, one of the best performances on Kerrang! Left stage.
Did you know that next year BFS turns 30? Yeah, I did not. I thought they came around in ’98, but it was ’94. Oh well! It looks like Dying Scene will again be finding its way to the UK to celebrate that anniversary. So, what can I say about the show? It was fun! This took place at the Dickies Stage, and what a turnout it was. They played the hits and had fun on stage. I enjoyed being in the photo pit, singing along to the bangers, and dancing. Most of all, let’s be honest – this band is a bit iconic to us that grew up in the ’00s. Being from ’92, they had their fair share of love from me during my early years. So I was genuinely excited to see them (finally). As a bonus, here is a private photo of me and Jar. See you in Feb, fellas.
Second time seeing Yellowcard perform live; I’ll admit that the first time wasn’t as good as this time. Maybe because it was in 2015, and those I went with weren’t big Yellowcard fans. But this band was entertaining on stage, and the photo pit was exceptionally crowded. Hence, it was hard to move around without stepping each other over the toes, meeting the hands of fans tapping your shoulder, or nearly assaulting security with the front of your camera. Okay, the last part was a joke, but honestly, having a band that size in the Kerrang! Tent was just silly planning from Slam Dunk. But oh well, it didn’t change the fact that they, once again, blew me away. Damn, I regret I didn’t get any of their merch. Let’s move on to the last bands. Yes, bands.
So, we weren’t allowed to take pictures of The Offspring. Hm, thanks for that, guys. But I did manage to go listen to four songs before they decided to… disappoint a little bit. Firstly, I DON’T MIND THE NEW ALBUM. But I love the old with this band; they served all the good shit at the end. Next time fellas. And please, no bloody cover songs?
But I do not like having my time wasted, so my friend and I decided to go see watch Enter Shikari was up to. And that was… Actually fun, but the volume was a bit low. And actually, can we just take a minute? This is my formal complaint. Dear Enter Shikari, a 2023 updated version of “Sorry, You’re Not A Winner” is not acceptable. Let’s try again another day. But hell yeah, they were a party.
I’m lowkey alright about catching the first half of The Offspring and the last half of Enter Shikari. Overall they all sounded good. I had a great time. So, same time next year?
It’s been a good while since Spanish Love Songs released new music. Sure, they did release the EP Doom & Gloom, four songs they covered on their Patreon, during the pandemic. But now they are back with a follow-up – maybe a strong word to use, but to 2020’s Brave Faces Everyone, which, let’s be […]
It’s been a good while since Spanish Love Songs released new music. Sure, they did release the EP Doom & Gloom, four songs they covered on their Patreon, during the pandemic. But now they are back with a follow-up – maybe a strong word to use, but to 2020’s Brave Faces Everyone, which, let’s be honest, left us all as emotional wrecks from having it on repeat for an entire year.
So, the lingering question that still stands… What about No Joy? Is it as heartbreaking as we’ve experienced with the other albums? Well, read on.
“Do you remember the look on my face when you told me you wanted to die?”Dylan Slocum sombrely sings during the bridge in “Middle of Nine”, one of the songs that Slocum wrote to his grandma. The sad and soft guitars accompany Slocum’s gentle deliverance until we hit the song’s bridge. A few lines in this song make it genuinely outstanding yet a different kind of heartbreaking.
Here’s a sweet video before you dive into the rest of the review.
“What other song was written for Slocum’s grandma?” – Well, my dears. None other than “Pendulum”– we’ve all heard it. A song that has managed to blend synths and guitar riffs in perfect harmony with unforgettable lyrics.
I mean, there will always be some hits and misses on any album, and for me, the miss was “Rapture Chaser.” Before you all come at me in the comment section…IT’S A GREAT SONG. It has some moments where it shines with catchy bars and beautifully written lyrics, such as, and I can’t believe how relatable this line “Your heart will never be full, so don’t waste your grief on fools” was until I heard the song. Yes, I may have read the lyrics before listening to the album.
“Mutable” – something about the song makes me like it; it’s sweet and straightforward. And there’s nothing wrong with that, in my opinion. It’s what gives its charm. “Here You Are” has this excellent acoustic guitar opening before the drums come in, and for some reason, I consider it a love song, but only because of one specific line that piqued my interest. Which is “Wish I could live my life until I got it right.”, something most of us might relate to. The fear of not living our truths, whatever that means to each of us. But indeed, we will always go out with a few regrets.
So, back to the question I started us off with. Is it as heartbreaking as we’ve experienced with the other albums? Yes and no. Despite the album being called No Joy, there are glimmers of hope, but there’s also the realization that people can’t do everything. And you hear that realization in “I’m Gonna Miss Everything”and that’s life. But the truly heartbreaking moment comes when Slocum delivers a throwback to “Middle of Nine” with the following lyrics “I can’t remember the look on your face when I told you that I might want to die.”
The vulnerable and, once again, honest lyrics Slocum brings to the table are only here because of the rest of the band. Meredith Van Woert on keyboards, Kyle McAulay on guitar, Trevor Dietrich on bass, and Ruben Duarte on drums set each song’s atmosphere and overall vibe. But I don’t know about you, dear reader, but after they released ‘Haunted’ in May, I hoped that this new sound with synths and, in some ways, a bit more upbeat guitars would continue. Also, if you get the vibes of The Killers in the music, embrace it.
Recommended songs: Middle of Nine, Exit Bags, Lifers
Since I first started going to Slam Dunk in 2023, the festival made its mark on me. And this year was no exception. After seeing the lineup with Arm’s Length, One Step Closer, Guilt Trip, The All-American Rejects, You Me At Six, State Champs, and more, I knew I needed to go. Because these were […]
Since I first started going to Slam Dunk in 2023, the festival made its mark on me. And this year was no exception. After seeing the lineup with Arm’s Length, One Step Closer, Guilt Trip, The All-American Rejects, You Me At Six, State Champs, and more, I knew I needed to go. Because these were bands I had loved since childhood, Guilt Trip, One Step Closer, and Arm’s Length were added over the years. So, I packed my bags, jumped on a flight, and made my way to England.
Festival Atmosphere
It was late May, but being in England, the weather is always tricky. As with the year before, the sun was high in the sky, and it was warm. But unlike last year, I had forgotten my sunblock. Oops. As I arrived, the queuing was much better than the previous year; you could basically walk in, and that was a nice feeling after I was yearning for some live music. Once inside, everyone was having the time of their lives, with Monster Energy being amazing and supplying free energy drinks as my coffee intake had been limited on one of the days compared to my… well, my coffee intake is not a newsworthy story, so let’s move on.
In my opinion, the layout has changed for the better compared to last year. Actually, much had changed; after the fallout of last year’s bad luck with parking, they seemed to have had it more under control, and everything seemed much easier to find.
Arm’s Length – The Key Club Stage
As Arm’s Length took the stage, they kicked their set off with a bang with their 2023 single, “Up In Smoke”. The pop-punk Canadians may have encountered a few technical problems in the beginning, but they were quickly fixed. As they hit “Object Permanence,” from Never Before Seen, Never Again Found, the third song out of eight songs on their setlist, I felt like I was floating. As Allan Steinberg’s vocals were on point, the rest of the band, consisting of Jeremy Whyte, Jeff Whyte, and Benjamin Greenblatt, were energetic, as if they had been run over by the Monster Truck and shotgunned three cans each before hitting the stage. Disclaimer: They are one of my favorite bands, and I’ve discovered them in the past few years, but seeing them for the first time blew me away. And the songs flew by, as they hit “Overture”, once again from the 2022 album, Never Before Seen, Never Again Found, tears did shed from my eyes as I sang along, as the lines “You know exactly where I’ll go when I’m gone / Know that it’s been in the works for so long”, I was in pieces, exactly like the first time I heard it. There was something about their live performance that just hit home. They worked so well together while acknowledging they were playing Slam Dunk. It felt more like friends having the time of their lives playing their instruments, and we were lucky enough to witness them. They were the highlight of my year, and they deserve all the greatness that comes to them.
Guilt Trip – The Key Club Stage
As my heart was still racing from Arm’s Length, I didn’t have to wander far for the next act on my schedule: Guilt Trip. And two months after they visited Denmark with Landmvrks, I got to see them again. I thought I knew what I was in for, but frankly, this was peak Guilt Trip. They had zero technical difficulties, but what I loved the most was how quickly mosh pits managed to get going. Once again, the banter was top-notch, but it doesn’t beat their well-curated setlist, which gets the crowd going. They continue to stay at the top of their game because they are one of the best hardcore bands around right now. Much like when I saw them in March – I can’t deny that they put on one hell of a show. From song to song, vocalist Jay Valentine was living his best life while the rest of the band had a grin from ear to ear. The fact that they are so well rehearsed gives one an excellent idea of why they are selling out shows around the world. If you can catch them, you must!
One Step Closer – The Key Club Stage
Hardcore outfit One Step Closer is here! THEY ARE HERE! I nearly had to pinch myself. You’re asking why, but over the past year, I’ve found much amusement in hardcore, and with their sophomore album All You Embrace that was released earlier in the month, it was only fair that I canceled all my plans to have lunch and see them in full glory. While there’s an ongoing discussion that All You Embrace leans much more toward the grungier sound, it’s not stopping the band from digging out their hardcore roots. I’m not the only one excited to see them. In fact, it seems that the whole band is picking up on the energy from the crowd and making sure that they match it. The stage isn’t the biggest, but that doesn’t seem to matter because they are having the time of their life as they go from song to song on their setlist. Ah, to be young and full of energy.
Albany pop-punkers State Champs entered the stage, and they actually played their 2013 album, The Finer Things, which is, in total, a treat for those of us who are experiencing the band for the first time. And what a joyous treat indeed! It’s the tenth anniversary of the album, or it was back in October 2023, but that didn’t make it any less memorable. As it was my first time seeing them live, I was pretty excited. I couldn’t help but notice how alive they were, mainly after saying they were once a “baby band”, and now they are “old”. It simply didn’t feel like that at that moment.
As they made their way through their setlist, which, once again, was their sophomore album and a big deal, “Hard To Please” was a trip to hear live. They were flying from one end of the stage to another, with no moment of standing still for them, and it was, in fact, one of the best performances I had seen all day at that point. They indeed marked themselves as pop-punk royalty!
L.S. Dunes – The Key Club Stage
This is probably the coolest band I’ve seen to date. The emo supergroup consisting of Frank Iero, Anthony Green, Travis Stever, Tim Payne, and Tucker Rule was on the minor stage for some reason. After the crowd kept growing, it confirmed my suspicion that it was a poor choice, but with such a packed line-up, someone had to pull the short stick. There’s no denying how good they sound. While I wasn’t blown away entirely by their album, their performance was excellent for me, and Green sounded perfect while belting out their songs. But for some reason, their set was cut short, and we never found out why.
The All-American Rejects – Slam Dunk Stage
Hi, my name is Karina, and I’m a vast AAR fan. I can’t begin to describe the feeling of seeing The All-American Rejects, but I’ll try. It’s been ten years since they were there last, and as I wasn’t, I knew I needed to see them. They have, for the past decade and a half, when I first discovered them and screamed “Dirty Little Secret” as a teen in my room, been one of the bands alongside Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, Motion City Soundtrack, and Something Corporate, been a pillar in my music taste.
The All-American Rejects kicked off their set with “Swing, Swing,” and no one in sight wasn’t feeling it. Here they were, with Tyson Ritter dressed to the nines and funny as hell, springing into life as the music kicked off. As they rip their way through the packed setlist consisting of “Gives You Hell”, “It Ends Tonight”, and even playing “Fallin’ Apart” to a much-overjoyed audience. They still got it, and of course, Ritter proved that they are one of the few pop-punk bands from the 2000s that still know how to hit the original notes of their songs.
As “Move Along” closed their set, an unexpected move on their part, as I was 100% sure that they would’ve closed with “Dirty Little Secret”, I didn’t want it to end. Selfish, of course, but their energetic stage presence, the setlist, gave me such an adrenaline rush. I’ll admit that halfway through their setlist, I am having a complete blackout, not because of alcohol but pure excitement. I felt I was the only one there, and I was living my best life because this was IT. They were everything I expected and more. While Ritter did go on some random rants, it was the moment I discovered he was funny as hell. I’m so sure that if it hadn’t been for You Me At Six calling it quits prior to Slam Dunk, The All-American Rejects would have been the headliners because they served a proper stage presence as if they were the headliners of this fantastic festival.
“KEEP YOUR HANDS TO YOURSELF,” Josh Franceschi sings as they kick off their last festival appearance with “Save It For The Bedroom”. Yes, their last-ever festival performance. It’s frankly quite beautiful and full circle. You Me At Six’s first festival was Slam Dunk in 2007, and they signed to Slam Dunk’s record label back in the day. Tonight, many of us were taking a trip down memory lane, and their setlist was curated for their fans. As the band was ripping through their first single, “Save It For The Bedroom”, it clicked for me that I had been spoiled by many of the bands and their setlists, and YMAS was the icing on the cake, the cherry on top.
There’s no room for much talk, not that I mind, to be honest, because it’s a race against time. Overall, it felt like they wanted to cram as many songs into the set as humanly possible, and that meant keeping the chatter to a minimum. Still, some moments pulled at the heartstrings, from Franceschi saying, “It’s only right to finish where we started” in regards to their last festival performance to dedicating “Liquid Confidence” to their fanbase, and down to the moment when Elissa Franceschi, Josh’s sister came on stage to sing “Always Attract”. It somehow felt final, like this is it. Even though they have a string of tour dates for their Farwell Tour coming up, that was the moment that smacked me into reality, and tonight, You Me At Six pulled out all the stops to make this one of their best shows in history. From the showmanship Franceschi displayed to the stunning stage visuals, the rest match Franceschi’s energy. This was a night for the fans. As the sun sat over Hatfield, and they were ripping through their setlist, the audience was singing along to every song, and strangers were hugging and giving room to each other to let the emotions show.
Nostalgia wasn’t the enemy tonight. In fact, it was a welcoming friend, a friend that came in flashbacks to the moment when one first heard the different songs, the lyrics popping up as if they were subtitles to a movie. And suddenly, it was pitch black. The show ended with the finale song, “Beautiful Way” from SUCKAPUNCH, which actually served well to close a magical evening.
Final words.
While this typically serves as a conclusion, I’ll treat it like my final thoughts. I saw so much this year, and there weren’t many clashes of sets—though there were a few. I had always wanted to see The Wonder Years, but I caught only a few songs before heading over to the Slam Dunk Stage for You Me At Six. Waterparks was also on my list, but I had to prioritize L.S. Dunes, who ultimately won me over as my new favorite supergroup.
The lineup was more stressful than ever; I wanted to see so many bands, but it just wasn’t possible. Perhaps I’ll need to take both days at Slam Dunk next year! Overall, after addressing the minor issues from 2023, I have to commend the organizers. They came back stronger, listening to feedback from the audience, and for that, they’ve officially become my favorite out-of-country festival. They even fixed what my friend and I affectionately dubbed “toilet island”—a corner with so many toilets that I didn’t experience any queueing this year!
Slam Dunk brings back a lot of nostalgia for me, especially as it coincides with moments when I feel like I’m about to burn out from writing. This weekend away has become a way to recharge my energy for what’s to come, perhaps due in part to the incredible community surrounding it. You feel safe, and you often make friends you get to catch up with while there.
I’m excited to see how the festival grows in the future and how they’ll one-up this year’s lineup! While you’re at it, check out the stunning pictures from Nick Allan below!
For years I’ve wanted to go to Slam Dunk because year after year, the festival has managed to get some of my favorite bands. Due to life sometimes happening, it wasn’t something on the cards for me in the past. But this year is the year; Hatfield May 27th. Even though, looking at Clashfinder, I […]
For years I’ve wanted to go to Slam Dunk because year after year, the festival has managed to get some of my favorite bands. Due to life sometimes happening, it wasn’t something on the cards for me in the past. But this year is the year; Hatfield May 27th. Even though, looking at Clashfinder, I might need to bring my running shoes.
So, what bands am I even looking forward to seeing? Well, read on and find out. And comment if you’re going and which bands you look forward to seeing.
The Offspring There’s no denying that this band has had a wild period of bangers. Their last album might not have made my AOTY list when it came out, but I return to it. So I’m excited to hear them and the bangers, new and old (hopefully)
Come on, a timeless band with a great list of bangers aged like fine wine. I can’t wait to scream 1985 from the top of my lungs and dance. Oh! And they released a new album with covers!
Less Than Jake It’s been a few years since I saw them last in Copenhagen with Yellowcard. However, that concert was fun, and they still get me moving.
The Menzingers Oh, come on, there’s no way in hell I’d miss this band. Because I always find out they are playing in Europe AFTER they’ve played in Europe. So, now it’s time.
Yellowcard Again, been a minute since I saw them last. And that was an experience I still remember, even though my friends hated every minute I made them stay for their show. But this year, I get to see them with new friends that are as excited as I am.
The Academy Is… Will I ever grow out of TAI? NO. I fondly remember visiting my ma and pa in Australia and my uncle taking me to a music store where I bought Almost Here. He made fun of me in our special way, so this one is for you, Bob. <3 There’s a 75 percent chance I’ll come home with a TAI tattoo.
Real Friends Let’s forgive them for the previous two albums because their newest album is great, and I hope they play Strangers.
Boston Manor So, a bit unusual. But their album Datura made its mark on me, and I hope to hear a few songs from the album and some of their previous albums.
Trophy Eyes AUSTRALIAAAAAAA, nothing more to say. Stoked for this band tho’
Sincere Engineer Music for some downtime between sets. No, I’m kidding. Sincere Engineer has made her way to my heart with Rhombithian.
Charlotte Sands After discovering her when she released Every Guy Ever. I have been hooked on her, I find her talented and fresh.
Spanish Love Songs I can’t get enough of this band. Even though they are performing at The Lexington on the 26th, I’ll still try to find my way to their stage.
Some of you might be scratching your heads and asking where a few bands on the lineup are on my list. It’s not that I’m not excited to see them. But the bands mentioned above, are definitely those I’m a bit more excited about. Nothing personal 🙂
Hello, darlings! It’s the end of the year, and what a year it’s been in music. Some would say it’s been a bit overwhelming with all the releases, and we’ve only got so many hours in a day to listen, review, and bring you reading material. But as 2023 ends, I’ve put together a playlist […]
Hello, darlings! It’s the end of the year, and what a year it’s been in music. Some would say it’s been a bit overwhelming with all the releases, and we’ve only got so many hours in a day to listen, review, and bring you reading material. But as 2023 ends, I’ve put together a playlist with all the songs that sparked joy in my life in 2023 and a top five of everything from albums, EPs, and concerts. This list was supposed to be very straightforward this year, but I hadn’t looked at any album or EP release calendar because it went in another direction. I’ve always listened to pop-punk and indie. I had made a bet with myself last year that the only music I would listen to was from 2023, and yes, that was hard. Yes, I broke it a few times for good causes, like preparation for festivals or things like EMONITE.
But with that being said, I did find some albums that automatically hyped me up during 2023. Albums that I knew were gems and albums that helped shape my second half of 2023. So, here we go, my top five albums, EPs, and singles. Trust me, we aren’t sticking to one genre this time.
Our favorite Scranton band, The Menzingers, dropped their seventh album, Some Of It Was True, on the 13th of October, 2023. But unlike After The Party, we aren’t questioning where we go after our 20s; we are more concerned about what is happening in our 30s! I’ll admit, I’m only 31, and my 30s have just begun, but much like on the title track ‘Some of It Was True,’ I do reminisce about my youth and how I thought I knew everything back then, only to be surprised about how little I know. But Some Of It Was True is good because they keep their standards high and experiment with new sounds but add a bit more heartbreaking lyrics, as we can hear on ‘Come On Heartache’, ‘I Didn’t Miss You (Until You Were Gone)’, and ‘There’s No Place In The World For Me’, which I’ll be honest and say, I feel that our 30’s will be more about, in different ways. So, here’s to The Menzingers and their ability to write catchy songs.
Knuckle Puck has, since the beginning, been a band I’ve been fascinated by, but I forgot about them because they sometimes seemed stuck in their early sound and didn’t grow. But Losing What We Love was released and proved me wrong. From the first listen, this album became an instant favorite. The catchy lyrics to the potent and pop-punk riffs, Losing What We Love, show a different side to Knuckle Puck from their earlier material. And for 37 minutes, you’re highly entertained with the album.
I’ll admit that I’ve slept on Movements, and I’ve slept on Ruckus! It wasn’t until after a concert that my friend sheepishly suggested I dive into the album, and since that day, I haven’t been able to stop listening to RUCKUS! Movements decided to experiment with different sounds. It’s a fun listen.
Hardcore had a shining moment this year; hopefully, it won’t change next year. But this year, we saw Militarie Gun release their debut LP, and after three EPs, I was very excited about Life Under The Gun. It didn’t disappoint me, from the gruff vocals supplied by Ian Shelton to the punk guitars and rapid drumming on the songs. Even more remarkable, their concerts are brilliant, and the transition from album to live is something they’ve mastered, but again, Militarie Gun is a side project. Everyone in the band had a name prior, so it’s no surprise that Militarie Gun succeeds at everything they do.
Why Would I Watch is a rather obvious choice for my number 1 album of the year. And I was right. While my Spotify Wrapped would state that Taylor Swift is my most-heard artist, my YouTube music would beg to differ.
Why Would I Watch showcases the ability to take challenging topics and place Hot Mulligan at their most vulnerable point during the album. As we witness in “It’s A Family Movie She Hates Her Dad,” touching on the subject of a dysfunctional family dynamic, the loss of a much-beloved grandma, one that I related a lot to on “Smahccked My Head Awf.” A few months ago, I went on the radio in Denmark, and we had to bring along three songs with two friends, and we had to bring along three songs that inspired us to become music reviewers, or at least were a part of our journey. For my last piece, I picked “John “The Rock” Cena, Can You Smell What the Undertaker” because this song has been such a driving force throughout my battle with an eating disorder, body dysmorphia, and the loss of faith that I experienced when I lost my grandma at 14. But enough about why Hot Mulligan stole my heart. Why Would I Watch felt like this was the way ahead, and the album has zero songs you end up skipping because they are so well-produced.
NOTICEABLE RELEASES IN 2023
Lana Del Rey – Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean BlvdSincere Engineer- Cheap GrillsFree Throw – Lessons That We Swear To KeepEYES – CongratulationsFall Out Boy – So Much (For) StardustThe National – Laugh TrackFabled Mind – Project ParadiseBlondshell – BlondshellSufjan Stevens – JavelinBlink-182 – ONE MORE TIMETaking Back Sunday – 152Gumm – Slogan MachineKoyo – Would You Miss ItSpanish Love Songs – No JoyParamore – This Is Why
So, we covered the top albums. And that got a bit long, but let’s move on to EPs.
Let’s sit down for a minute and look into SAYP. They popped up on the scene in 2021, and in January of 2023, they probably made one of the best EPs and haven’t slowed down since.
“But Karina, this EP came out on the 22nd of December, and it’s taking the first place on the list?” YES. The different sounds throughout the EP mark an exciting return for the band, staying true to their pop-rock roots, with some indie mixed in. It makes for a great end-of-the-year EP. They spoiled us.
Let’s move on because this is already a long one. And if you’ve read all the through, I admire it and thank you. Next up is the top five singles from 2023.
I know, I’m cheating. It’s two singles, and gosh, how PUP spoiled us. Or maybe it’s just me. But as we all know, I like PUP, and I think the band is incredible. So, of course, when I saw that they released two songs, I did a little happy dance and listened. How To Live With Yourself is more potent, but Smoke Screen certainly has moments where we get transported back to PUP’s earlier days. So yes, PUP’s two singles get fifth place.
If you, dear reader, are like me and enjoyed the sound on ‘how will i rest in peace if i’m buried by a highway?//’ Then don’t worry because KennyHoopla released a single back in August that shares somewhat of the same sound. It’s terrific.
This song is a bloody banger and has excellent lyrics. For a breakup song, I hate myself for getting excited when I hear it. But it’s so upbeat and catchy. I’m so sorry to be BOP’ing in your pain, Neck Deep.
Okay, it was released a week ago. But if you’ve heard it, you would agree it’s one hell of a banger. Honestly, Pile of Love is an excellent band with a unique sound. EP was released a week after this was written.
It feels like we’ve highlighted all of the best of 2023. Or what I consider some of the best music of 2023! But what about concerts and festivals? We can’t pretend I sat at home knitting gloves all year. So, let’s move on to festivals and concerts of 2023.
Top five concerts/festivals
5.Militarie Gun, Loppen, DK. The 26th of November, 2023.
Let’s discuss this. If you’ve made it this far, we can all agree that I like Militarie Gun. There is no denying that Ian Shelton has a distinctive voice, but hearing it live, I can’t believe how much better it sounds and how well they play overall. Plus, the energy is impressive.
4. Copenhell, Copenhagen, DK. June 14th-17th, 2023.
Ah, one of my favorite festivals in Denmark. Copenhell has always been good at pleasing its audience, and this year was no different. From Brutus, Parkway Drive, Sleep Token, Fever 333 (who did the most epic stunt, I think it’s on Youtube), Fishbone(!!!!), to BlackGold, there was a good selection. Hands down, Brutus gave the best performance of any band there. I love Brutus.
3.Slam Dunk, Hatfield, UK. The 27th of May 2023.
One day, and a lineup that could make any festival a bit jealous. Slam Dunk was gracious enough to put The Menzingers, Spanish Love Songs, Bowling For Soup, Sincere Engineer, The Academy Is…, Boston Manor, well, basically the whole lineup at the same place, different times, but I got to see some of my favorite bands with some of my favorite people. It was a rather emotional experience, if I have to say anything.
2. blink-182, Royal Arena, DK. The 12th of September, 2023.
FINALLY, fucking finally. After two cancellations of shows in Denmark, it happened. The OG blink-182 came, conquered, and left me with post-concert blues (it’s a thing, okay?!). It was a wild ride, and sure, a generic setlist, BUT it was bangers only. My poor voice. 10/10 I will do it again. And still not review it.
1. Nasty Cut Fest, Copenhagen, DK. May 17th – 20th.
It’s not cheating if you had a festival that you’re personally involved in with a record label you’re personally involved with. This year, Nasty Cut Records put on their first three-day festival in Valby, which was very emotional. Andrew and I were both crying because there’s something about people coming from all over the world to support it. But seeing our friends, our biggest cheerleaders, and bands from Denmark, Croatia, Greece, the UK, and Germany come and knock it out of the park each day, I honestly don’t think I have words to describe it. And yes, it’s returning for another round in 2024.
Top five things I look forward to in 2024
Hmm, I think there are many different things for 2024 that I’m excited for. One of them is leaving in 2023 and just opening a new chapter – festivals and concerts to see if 2024 is as musically packed, but below, I’ve done anything top five.
5. Sleep.
I don’t even think we need to go into a long talk about how important it is to get seven hours of sleep instead of four hours of sleep.
4. COPENHELL
Motherfucking Limp Bizkit is playing. The Offspring are playing. Our favorite band from Boston, Dropkick Murphys, is playing. The lineup next year is 10/10. It’s so beautiful, and it’s at the end of June. Come and have fun with us.
3. Slam Dunk
Hi Slam Dunk, we are planning to return for another round. So, keep doing whatever you’re doing. I’ll be seeing you in May.
2. More time with the family
That’s it – no need to explain.
1. Nasty Cut Festival
We’re back for round two, and I don’t care if this is a shameless promotion. Pkew Pkew Pkew and Phantom Bay are playing!!!!
Well, if you have read it all, we have come to the end of the list. Here is a playlist of songs that have impressed me this year.
Chloe
The Places We’ll Go is my favorite on this. Dashboard Confessional are amazing.