 THE
ERGS! – Hindsight is 20/20, My Friend
(Dirtnap Records)
The Ergs! are arguably one of the best bands
in punk rock today. No matter what venue they
play, be it a basement show in Columbus or a
HUGE show with the Bouncing Souls in Manhattan,
they manage to excite the crowd and impress
onlookers. That’s why it was so important
to release this singles collection. The first
two Erg’s! full lengths Dorkrockcorkrod
and Upstairs/Downstairs are brilliant introductions
to New Jersey’s finest, but the band has
taken the route of many of its contemporaries
and released a slew of singles, EP’s,
and compilation tracks that are not only hard
to get due to their limited release, but also
because of the hordes of ravenous fanboys who
collect every single pressing, color, and oddity
that the Ergs have ever put on wax. That is
why this is great move on the part of the Ergs!.
There are some people (myself included, who
literally owns four 7- inches,) who will probably
never begin to purchase vinyl. Now all of the
Ergs! output is at our fingertips.
The covers on this disc are alone worth all
the trouble that the band went through to get
this released. The Ergs! are the masters of
covering any song and making it their own. When
I saw them on their recent tour, these New Brunswick
minstrels covered “Can’t Hardly
Wait” and it was perfection. Granted that
cover and most of the songs that the band covered
live aren’t recorded, but the ones that
are on “Hindsight…” are phenomenal.
Whether it’s the Ergs! mopey take on Paul
Baribeau’s “Only Babies Cry”
or their raucous jaunt through the Gin Blossom’s
hit “Hey Jealousy” the Ergs, technically
and creatively, could mop the floor with any
cover band out there today as well as any original
act.
The order of the songs is in reverse chronological
order, beginning with the band’s most
recent offering on a split 7-inch EP with Lemuria
and ending with some of the band’s earliest
output (the aptly named “3 Guys, 12 Eyes
EP.”) It’s really something else
to be able to backtrack through a band like
the Erg’s! catalog as you chart the growth
of the band stylistically and to see what ignited
the its popularity. This also gives the Ergs!
more chances to play tons of stuff from the
treasure trove of their vinyl catalogue in a
live setting. And of course, the crowd will
go wild.
 PLAN-IT-X-COMP
#2 – (Plan-It-X Records)
Anybody I talk to that is somehow in that
(folk punk) scene cringes at that term. I have
never been in a punk scene. I lived in West
Michigan. There are punks there, but I didn’t
talk to them. I see myself as a singer-songwriter,
but I guess folk-punk goes into that. I would
rather be under the heading DIY punk, in general;
it says more about me. - Paul Baribeau
Many would be surprised to hear that Plan It
X Records has had much success since they put
out Against Me’s seminal classic “Reinventing
Axl Rose”. But in fact the label has been
thriving. Part of the reason is the DIY nature
of the label, they sell their CDs for 5$ with
additional costs for shipping. Working through
friends and creating a network of DIY punk ethics
that reaches around the world. As a label that
started in Bloomington, Indiana and has now
moved to Gainesville, Florida and has put on
several successful Plan-It-X Festivals that
not only featured artists from the label and
off the label (Latterman, to name one band)
but classes on various topics. That’s
why it’s no surprise that this comp has
bands on it from Columbus, Ireland, Washington
D.C., New York, and Bloomington with styles
ranging from folk to Dillinger Fouresque punk
rock to country to cutesy pop.
The comp features music from many of the best
up and coming bands in the DIY folk scene with
exclusive tracks from bands like The Andrew
Jackson Jihad (who are on Mike Park’s
Asian Man Records as well) and pop punk darlings
Delay (who have put Columbus on the map as far
as a punk scene goes). But the best part of
this comp is the many bands that I had never
heard of and have fallen in love with. Many
Jersey Beat readers may know Paul Baribeau from
the Ergs! cover they do of his song on their
Songs About Miles Davis 7”, he’s
on this comp, with an exclusive song that he
does about writing letters, which is one of
the most beautiful tracks on the comp. But the
best find by far on this comp is the song by
Spoonboy, a member of Plan It X act and DC punk
band The Max Levine Ensemble. The earnestness
of “When You Were Sweet” really
reminded me of why I loved folk music in the
first place. I would recommend this CD to anyone
who loves their music to be about the people
making it not about profit or any of that stuff.
This isn’t just music made by people who
don’t shower and just carry their acoustic
guitars around. This is music for the Ian Mackaye
follower in all of us that can share joy in
the purity of the art and music.
 CLOUDS
– We Are Above You (Hydra Head Records)
Clouds bring the rock. Like most bands on Hydra
Head they set up those double stacks and turn
them ALL THE WAY UP. Clouds are no exception.
Their brand of stoner rock roars with the same
power as Cave In and barks with the same ferociousness
that bands like Mastodon and High on Fire do.
They have weird moments, which is where I guess
this band differs from Cave In. They incorporate
some keyboard and focus on harmonizing a little
bit too much. Clouds are at their best when
they are mind blowingly loud and turning up
the speed. Instead of staying in the present
Clouds try too hard to bring blues, pop, and
even some country into their music. It’s
these sorts of experimental leanings that lead
the band down the wrong path. It seems like
they’d rather attempt to be badasses instead
of doing what they do best; which is make me
wish that I had long enough hair and was cool
enough to be good enough at guitar to play this
kind of music. I think I’ll stick to the
bands in this genre that do that all the way
through their CDs. If you like the kind of stuff
I don’t then this is for you. Otherwise,
you should pass this up. Don’t be fooled,
in the deep crevices of these rockers there
are imperfections. Clouds are “Above You”
but that’s just the drugs that make them
higher, not creativity.
 HEATHERS
– Here, Not There (Plan-It-X Records/Hide
Away Records)
My name in Jon Robinson. My friends call me
J-Rob, Jon, whatever. But the most important
personal fact about me is that I’m an
identical twin. My brother Ben and I are the
closest of friends. We both play guitar and
sometimes play together. We never clicked musically
though. Somehow we never got to be on the same
wavelength as far as that goes. Maybe that’s
why this summer I’ve been obsessed with
finding music made by twins. I found Delay,
a Columbus pop punk band with twins who play
guitar and bass and share vocal duties, I of
course listen religiously to Tegan and Sara,
the indie pop duo from Montreal, and for all
you older 90s radio geeks I even jammed to Evan
and Jarron, two twin guys who had a song called
from “My Head to My Heart” back
in the 90s.
Then this Heathers CD came in the mail. Louise
(vocals and guitar) and Ellie (vocals and harmonies)
are from Ireland and this 11 song CD is filled
to the brim with the twin sibling passion and
closeness that can’t be put into words
that will accurately describe it (without sounding
corny). These songs, though sometimes a tad
sub par, really spoke to me in a way that very
few songs do and have done. The relationships
that twins have and how they work together is
truly special. Knowing that turned songs like
“Remember When” and “Bloodpact”
into much more than just a simple folk song
for me. It’s what turned “Slices
of Palama” into one of the most beautiful
songs I have heard this year. When two people
make music together through true friendship,
it is to be commended, but when twins make music
it’s a life bond that is stronger than
marriage, stronger than pretty much any relationship
imaginable. There is so much promise in Heather’s
future. There are a great deal of amazing songs
on “Here, Not There”, but there
are unfortunately some songs on this release
that I will skip every time. This music is for
fans of the folksier side of Tegan and Sara,
who love it when their voices intertwine. Yet
Heather’s are much more adept at the more
traditional side of folk music, and play faster
music than Tegan and Sara (Heather’s are
after all on Plan It X, a label that leans its
folk music more towards that punk spectrum in
style and in business ethics). This will definitely
be a band that I will watch out for in the future.
They are after all only 17.
 INQUISITION
– Uproar: Live and Loud! (No Idea Records)
"Revolution, I think it’s called
Inspiration.” This is the motto of Inquisition,
the Richmond, VA punk band that spawned bands
like Ann Beretta, Strike Anywhere, Foundation,
and sadly River City High. But back in the early
90’s, Inquisition was THE band that mattered
in Richmond. They’ve influenced bands
from Avail to Hot Water Music and sadly broke
up by the mid 90s. With the latest rash of punk
rock reunion shows, it was only a matter of
time before Inquisition got it’s time
back in the limelight. Following the A-F records
re-release of “Revolution…”
the band scheduled a reunion show in Richmond,
but ended up getting inundated with so many
requests for a second show that they decided
to put on two shows, which only makes this CD/DVD
combo even better. Not only are there more songs
on both the CD and the DVD because the band
played two shows but this allowed for the band
to choose between recordings for songs they
played on both nights. That couldn’t have
been very hard, as the recordings are spot on,
at least for a live disc. It can be very difficult
for a live recording to truthfully exhibit how
a band sounds live, but the raw energy and clear
sound are perfect for Inquisition. The recording
not only embodies Inquisition’s sound
almost too perfectly but might bring about some
nostalgic memories for fans of the band that
saw them before they broke up in ’96 (When
I was just 6 years old.) The DVD aspect of this
release kicks about as much ass as the actual
CD does. The filming was done from the crowd
and at various locations around the venue, giving
it the feeling like you were actually there.
The concert footage itself is excellent, but
the bonus footage of the acoustic show at a
Richmond coffee house takes the cake. If Inquisition
were truly the Bad Brains of Richmond, then
this certainly is a release that fans will treasure.
– Jon Robinson
 GLASS
AND ASHES – Glass and Ashes (No Idea Records)
On there second release, Glass and Ashes sounds
like a band that should be on Relapse Records
rather than No Idea. This is a good thing. They
metal up their Gainesville beard punk sound
while adding flavor of the moment stoner rock
to the mix. This quartet decided to lengthen
their jams on this record and it really goes
miles to show their creativity as well as their
chops on the guitar. The band not only feels
tighter as a unit on this record than they ever
have before, but heavier and more focused. On
tracks like 7 and a half minute long “The
Rebuttal” Glass and Ashes show their epic
take on stoner beard punk and takes the listener
on wild ride brimming with distortion, vigor,
and technical prowess. Glass and Ashes somehow
have found a medium in which they can meld the
sloppiness of a Gainesville basement and still
be sober enough to play some licks that would
make High on Fire jealous.
But this album wore on me quickly, as any album
of this nature does. And sometimes you just
have to stop and take a break and stop the assault
for a minute before revisiting it. It’s
never a bad thing when the one thing a band
has to learn is when to stop. Hopefully Glass
and Ashes will learn soon, or I may well go
insane.
 TITLE
FIGHT – “Kingston” 7-inch
EP (myspace.com/flightplanrec)
Three fast as hell songs from a band that clearly
likes Saves the Day and Lifetime a whole lot.
While this isn’t necessarily bad, there
are tons of bands out there doing the same thing.
Title Fight bring a bit of grit to the mix but
not a whole lot more. The songs are good, don’t
get me wrong, but there are a lot of bands who
are this good doing the same thing. This makes
me want to pick up “Can’t Slow Down”
and “Hello Bastards”, not stay interested
in them.
There’s some new age hardcore mixed in,
but if this had been 2006 and Set Your Goals
hadn’t already done this, then I would
be impressed. Bands like this are not a bad
thing, but this phenomenon needs to have bands
who continue to progress past their influences.
Granted like most bands of this nature, the
Title Fight are young but they need to learn
there place. I’d be really interested
in seeing them turn up the grit and speed on
their next release and really come out of their
shell otherwise we’ll have lost another
band to idol worship.
 LOOK
MEXICO – The Crucial Collection (www.lujorecords.com)
Back in the 90s, when emo was a style of music
and not a fashion trend, American Football was
one of the genre’s most important bands.
It’s good to know that the Kinsella brothers’
experimental and moody noodling has not been
forgotten.
On Look Mexico’s The Crucial Collection,
the band rehashes its 2005 Crucial EP as well
as coughing up some bonus tracks and weird extras
that can at times test the patience of the listener.
However where American Football was sparse,
repetitious, and minimalist at times, Look Mexico
is chunkier and anthemic. Case in point: The
crescendo in “I can’t Today, I’m
On Duty.” Look Mexico takes American Football’s
wistfulness and combines it with the raw Midwestern
emo of bands like Boy’s Life and Christie
Front Drive. The earnest and raw cathartic melody
embodied in that song sent shivers down my spine
the first time I heard it.
While I agree with Lujo Records that this EP
needed to be released, some of the material
on this is far from crucial. The two tracks
from the Japanese version of Look Mexico’s
full length are nice additions, but the three
remixes towards the end of the disc at times
border on downright boring and heinous. However,
this EP served its purpose, by getting me hooked
on Look Mexico. I’ll definitely be listening
to this disc in the future. Great stuff from
yet another promising young band.
 BE
YOUR OWN PET – Get Awkward (Ecstatic Peace
Records)
There has been a revival lately of bands returning
to the roots of punk and hardcore, turning away
from complex musicianship and tunings and churning
out loud, fast, and hyper energetic punk records
in the vein on the Ramones, the Sex Pistols,
Minor Threat, and Black Flag. Now don’t
be mistaken, most of these bands aren’t
14 year olds picking up a guitar for the first
time and practicing after school in their parent’s
garage. Some of these bands are creating some
of the most exciting music in the world today.
Who’d have thought that a band fronted
by a 19 year old recent high school graduate
would not only be one of the indie buzz bands
of the moment, but would be playing this kind
of music AND be on Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth’s
Universal records imprint: Ecstatic Peace? And
to add to the hype two songs from this record
aptly and stupidly entitled “Get Awkward”
(the band doesn’t look it at all, rather
looking like a bunch of hip underagers who would
frequent Williamsburg drinking establishments
if their fake IDs were good enough) were cut
off of the final product due to violent lyrical
content. Punx. Right?
What starts out as exciting and cool on tracks
like “The Kelly Affair” starts getting
lame really fast. Apparently in an attempt to
avoid a sophomore slump, Be Your Own Pet decided
to buck the trend. Instead of maturing and trying
to grow as a band, Be Your Own Pet became more
immature and is all over the place on this release.
Hell they even have trading cards with information
about the band members, which I guess is an
affordable option on a major label. Maybe someone
should reintroduce this “awkward”
band with its ultra cutesy singer to an era
where writing a song actually meant something.
They give the “we’re trying to have
fun” excuse, but I’m not biting.
Maybe the third time’s the charm?
 SEARCH
/ RESCUE – The Compound (myspace.com/searchrescue)
What if Chris Martin of Coldplay and Rhett
Miller of Old 97s fame fused their sperm together
to artificially inseminate Gwyneth Paltrow?
You’d probably get a scary looking baby
that would probably grow up (God forbid) to
play in a band like Search / Rescue. This Eyeball
Records release seems to be trying a bit too
hard to get their audience: hook, line, and
sinker. Just because this band has members of
Acceptance and Gatsby’s American Dream
doesn’t mean squat.
The piano driver ballads that litter this disc
are all too predictable and manufactured for
my tastes, but maybe not those of a young kid
who enjoyed some of Search / Rescue’s
band member’s previous endeavors. To comment
for one second on the way I started this review:
I despise directly comparing one band to another,
unless there is something so fake and cheesy
about the music that it deserves to be admonished.
Search / Rescue is to Coldplay what a Coldplay
cover band is to Coldplay. A bad imitation.
 The
Phenomenauts – For All Mankind (www.springmanrecords.com)
This past week I decided to delve back into
the treasure trove of my past and revisit the
three latest Star Wars films (The Phantom Menace,
Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith).
Sadly the first two hadn’t aged well.
But hell, I figured if I was reviewing the latest
Phenomenauts’ record, I had to get into
the mood. This morning I viewed Titan AE, arguably
the best sci-fi animated movie in existence
in my humble opinion. I was locked and loaded
with fresh ammunition. I ate some breakfast
and here I am.
The album starts off with shouts of P-H-E-N-O-MENAUT!
Goofy, yes, but the ‘Nauts are a band
that need to be taken with a grain of sugar.
Taking cues from new wave and good dose of rock
n roll, For All Mankind has a little bit of
everything. There are a few good songs, and
there are a bunch of clunkers as well. The Phenomenauts
cause their own demise here however. There are
some really catchy, energetic, and fun songs
on this record that show how talented and creative
these guys are. On “Make a Circuit With
Me,” the band’s sense of melody
is uncanny and because of that and the ripping
Chuck Berry-esque guitar solo, it’s one
of the best songs on the record (“Compensation”
is up there as well, for the same reasons.).
But with those songs there are some others
that are just plain boring. Many of them have
no context and while they may be funny to some,
I was pretty disappointed. Not only are some
of those songs pretty dull, but they drag on
and lack the feeling of innovation that needs
to come when the music you play makes some pretty
apparent nods to music’s past. The Phenomenauts
should take a nod from The Aquabats, a band
that treads in similar water yet manages to
not only craft a unique sound and keep things
upbeat but also create a musical atmosphere
all their own.
Maybe after viewing those films I was expecting
too much, to be lead into a musical universe
that doesn’t exist.
 The
Sheckies – "Go On a Diet" EP
(www.cabana1records.com/)
There are many days when I really am excited
to listen to pop punk. Bands like Delay, The
Ergs, Copyrights, and Teenage Bottlerocket are
taking the genre to new heights of musical diversity
and talent. Then you have the Sheckies. Their
ironic “Look How Fat I Am EP” was
produced and recorded by analog purist Chris
Gobo Pierce, who has also done records for the
Ergs and Steinways. The first two songs were
forgettable, but on the third song, “Paranoid
Together”, the Sheckies finally kicked
it into gear. I was hoping, praying, that there
would be something better.
Sadly, what I thought was the light at the
end from the moment I head that track was a
mere mirage. I don’t think I could ever
be embarrassed to say I listen to pop punk,
but here we go guys! I didn’t think I
could be ashamed of liking Star Wars, but congratulations
Sheckies, I am a bit red in the face now. The
lines about hos and whores and using numbers
instead of words were cute, but I think I’d
rather go and play with some action figures
instead.
The Strugglers – The Latest Rights
(www.acuareladiscos.com/)
In this era of the indie music blogosphere
deciding what’s hip and what’s not,
many really good acts either get lumped in with
countless other singer/songwriters or, because
they are not blog-darlings, get ignored. These
days, it’s hard for places like Jersey
Beat to get a word in edgewise to Pitchfork
or music blogs like Stereogum and others. So
it gives me great pride to introduce you guys
to Brice Randall Rickford, otherwise known by
the moniker: The Strugglers. Beware; Brice doesn’t
play stupid folk music with lush harmonies and
flavor-of-the-week instrumentation and vocals.
Brice’s deep, inflective voice brings
a totally new edge to his music, as well as
setting himself apart from the rest of the pack.
However, The Strugglers would be nothing without
the talented backing musicians from indie darlings
St. Vincent and The Prayers and Tears of Arthur
Digby Sellers. The horns and other instrumentation
that Bickford’s backing band provides
are not of the Sufjan Stevens variety, which
would entail a folk orchestra of sorts to accompany
him. The Strugglers create patchworks of sunny
horns, strings, and guitars that set The Strugglers
apart from that college student playing the
coffee shop on campus.
This album, which clocks in at 9 songs, seems
short, as Bickford allows his band a more prominent
role (here are more than a few instrumental
breaks) on this record, while he lends his lyrical
expertise. I may be prejudiced, but the song
“Jonathan” (my name) is a standout.
The song not only really hits home and is easy
to relate to, but it’s also a sickeningly
beautiful ode to a relative. It’s only
a little bit of time before The Strugglers hit
the spotlight. Then you can tell all your friends
that you read it on Jersey Beat first!
Vietnam Werewolf – Ohio’s
City (myspace.com/losdiaperrecords)
Even though I write for this lovely New Jersey-based
publication, I reside in beautiful Cincinnati,
Ohio. That’s why I was so glad to review
a CD of a band that is a little bit closer to
home. Vietnam Werewolf is part of the vibrant
Cleveland/Berea DIY scene. This is evidenced
by the band’s socially conscious lyrics
(ala’ a more angry and immature Latterman)
and penchant for playing fast, aggressive, and
sloppily energetic punk rock. There are singalongs
galore on this disc as the band laments on life
in the Midwest, sexism, and the daily grind
of Ohio living.
They do this with lots of energy and even though
the sloppiness of the recordings does get in
the way of my liking the tunes as much as I
could, it adds an undoubting sincerity that
many bands have trouble affirming to their audience.
While the gruff, yelled vocals create the chaos
in the music, the music itself should provide
some sort of steady hold for the vocals to lean
on. However, even though this is technically
in the band’s repertoire, they dumb themselves
down musically to create the passionate effect
that bands like Delay do so effortlessly. I’d
really like to hear them try to keep the music
more focused but not loose the free spirit in
the vocals.
Despite that quibble, Vietnam Werewolf plays
music that represents Ohio. It’s something
that you love with all your heart (even if it
never really gets done perfectly.) These Cleveland
boys bask in the glory, close their eyes, take
a swig of their cheap beer, and soldier on.
Just as it says in the song “Greetings
from W. 44th Street,” the band screams:
“This city’s got a place in my heart.”
I agree, and so will every Ohio band that dares
to do something as special as these guys. VIVA
LA MIDWEST!
 Colin
Meloy – Sings Live (Kill Rock
Stars)
The Decemberists, arguably the most overrated
band in indie music today, have trotted the
globe playing everywhere from bars to outdoor
arenas with orchestras. So it seems that in
order for the Decemberists to attain the paramount
of indie rock credibility, something that no
blog can give them, lead singer Colin Meloy
would have to go “solo” and rough
it out to huge crowds every night. On one of
his past jaunts through America, Meloy traveled
with nothing but his 12-string guitar and his
grating librarian like voice.
On this tour, over many performances, Kill
Rock Stars (the label the Decemberists were
on before releasing their major label debut
The Crane Wife) decided to release this in conjunction
with the two EP’s that Mr. Meloy has released
on tour: One was a release made up of Morrissey
covers and the more recent EP was collection
of Shirley Collins songs. But have no fear if
you do not know who this obscure British folk
singer is, MR. MELOY WILL TELL YOU DURING LIVE
AUDIO FOOTAGE!!! The disc is made up of mostly
Mr. Meloy covering his bands’ Kill Rock
Stars catalogue (including his earlier band
Tarkio) and a few covers. Sadly, pretty much
all these songs fail, due to the fact that they
were written for the entire Decemberists band
to play, not just Mr. Meloy. The songs are boring
and trite when the full band plays them, and
they become even more so when they are stripped
down to just an acoustic guitar. The only gem
on this disc is the one original song Meloy
pulls out of his bag of tricks for this one;
the song is called “Wonder”, and
to my surprise is listenable!
But I doubt anyone who reads this review and
is a Decemberists fan will change their mind
about buying this disc. They laugh at his terrible
joke song, “Dracula’s Daugher”
like its genius rather than the light hearted
joke that he is telling the audience. Oh well,
good riddance. Hopefully, Mr. Meloy’s
horde of horn-rimmed hooters and holier than
thou hipsters will finally realize that the
shtick is up!
|
THE ROBINSON RETORT: REVIEWS BY JON ROBINSON
