Built on a Weak Spot

Truth From Facts are a Melbourne, Australia based three piece that have opted to go without a bass and instead use two guitarists and a drummer. Their reasoning was more so because that’s how it worked out rather than just making the choice. When you have a flow, I imagine you might as well stick with it and whatever flow Truth From Facts is in right now is most definitely working. They passed along their recently released album titled 2009 through Tenzenmen Records not too long ago and it’s been a more than enjoyable throwback of math/post-hardcore tunes. Despite the twin guitar and bass-less setup, their sound actually remains quite thick. In fact, it sounds better than a lot of bands that actually do employ a bass player. They are backed with a pretty good drummer as well, who does a fair amount of damage throughout this record and is most definitely a highlight. A lot of the song structures and the bands overall sound reminds me a lot of that first Thumbnail LP, as you could probably take 2009 and send it back in time to 1994 and it would fit in just fine alongside that record and many others. I don’t mean that in a bad way at all either, I actually wish more records DID sound like that. Anyway, this is a pretty solid record that is actually a bit refreshing when compared to a lot of bands that try and recreate Drive Like Jehu, etc.

Truth From Facts – Passing Termination Shock [MP3]

Anyone interested in picking this up can do so through stopping over at Tenzenmen Records. If you’re liking the tune above, then I strongly recommend getting a hold of the album. This is good stuff.

This is just one of a handful of recent releases from the Cincinnati based label Phratry Records. I do suggest checking out their entire roster, as they are home to a number of solid bands.

First up is the split between the two Cincy acts Caterpillar Tracks and Arms Exploding. This is really my introduction to both bands and by the sound of it they both enjoy 90’s post-hardcore…a lot. Caterpillar Tracks kick off the a-side with a nice bouncy bass driven track that pulls off something more representative of Jesus Lizard at times, although a friend said it reminded him of Stanford Prison Experiment. Either way, I think it achieves at what they were aiming for and that’s stirring up some nice muscly rock. This is probably a good preview of what’s to come on a full-length the band has planned for an early release this year that I’ll likely be checking out.

On the flipside is Arms Exploding which seems to be the harshest of the pair and are more in line with the past bands like Refused or Botch. While their bio makes mention of some progressive influences, there really isn’t much of that here on this track at least. I’m assuming most of that stems from their previous EP’s, which I have yet to hear. The track here is notable though, and if you’re into music with a good dosage of vitriol then Arms Exploding certainly would be a good place look for that.

Caterpillar Tracks – It’s a W.I.N. For the Home Team (stream)
Arms Exploding – Of Luxury and Branding (stream)

For those interested in picking this up, it’s currently available through Phratry. The single comes with download codes for those concerned about that. Enjoy!

I was a bit less productive this week than I had planned. More snow here in KCMO, a rather long week of work, and the Royals continue to sign shitty worthless players like Scott Podsednik and Jason Kendall. Enough of that though, you’re not here to listen to me whine.

Got this split cassette awhile back, featuring two bands from the east coast in Michael Jordan (Brooklyn, NY) and Rainbow Party (Allentown, PA). Not hearing either of these prior to this release, I was initially intrigued by some samples I’d heard of Michael Jordan and led me to pick this up I’d say on start up tape label Nervous Attack. Michael Jordan contributes three songs to their side of the tape, and all have a satisfying unhinged emo/hardcore sort of sound and feel to them that I find myself liking more and more upon each listen. They have another cassette out as well, which I am beginning to think I should hear.

I kind of don’t know what to make of Rainbow Party. They make for a bit of an odd pairing here with their minimalist indie/post-punk that doesn’t take itself too seriously it would appear. I mean they do have a CD called Butt Jamz after all. Rainbow Party has four songs on their side, three of which are from a radio session live set. I suppose this isn’t my cup of tea, but if you’re looking for something a bit fun then you could probably do a whole lot worse.

Michael Jordan – I Don’t Want to Write This Song (stream)
Rainbow Party – F.P.S. (stream)

This is still available it appears through Nervous Attack, so if you’re enjoying it then definitely throw down the five dollars for it.

Prize Country were a nice discovery last year when I came across their album Lottery of Recognition, combining a bit of the meaty riff-centric style of some of the more Midwestern flavored rock that tends to find itself on this blog with the twist and turns of something along the lines of Drive Like Jehu, Garden Variety, or Bluetip. After touring relentlessly for the past year or so, it’s actually quite impressive that they’ve found the time to get another record out along with forming a label (Failed Scene) for more one off releases that the band plans to utilize for themselves and friends. The new album however is titled …With Love and was just recently released on Hex records on both CD and vinyl (with high quality digital download). The album definitely picks up right where they left off on Lottery of Recognition, with maybe even more of an emphasis on their bay area post-hardcore influences of old this time around. No matter, it definitely accomplishes in rocking even if it does occasionally run together a bit. Not much of a breather to be had here when the band is moving so quickly from one thing to another.

Prize Country – Gamble [MP3]

If you’re enjoying what you hear, then head on over to Hex Records to pick this one up. It’s pretty safe to say that the rest of the album will be to your liking.

It’s been roughly 5 years since the last album from Chicago’s Haymarket Riot and probably at least 3 since I’ve heard fresh tunes from the band in any form. I guess they put out a single sometime last year that I shamefully missed, but they’ve come roaring back this year with the release of their new album Endless Bummer on Divot Records. It’s actually been out for a couple months or so now, however the initial CD pressing was fairly limited and sold out within a short period of time. Again, I shamefully missed out on that…however there was silver lining to it all as it allowed me just get it on vinyl which was just made available in the past two weeks or so. The LP features some alternate artwork and come with a nice gigantic poster as well. Nice. For those concerned, it does come with a digital download of the album with a couple extra bonus tracks thrown in as well and is certainly a good deal.

For those that are new to the band, well they’ve been around since 1999 and play the sort of post-hardcore we (we being just me really) love around here. And they do it very very well I might add. If anything, people should check out these guys because likely one of the members was in a band you heard and liked at some point, ranging from Big’N, Sweep the Leg Johnny, Gauge, Radio Flyer, Traluma, and so on. Seriously, that’s a pretty nice list of rock solid bands right there and it certainly carries over into what Haymarket Riot have been doing for the past ten years, Endless Bummer is only adding a nice big exclamation point to it all. So don’t miss out on this album and then obviously work your way back if you like what you hear on it. In the meantime check out the tune below.

Haymarket Riot – Raked Over the Hot Coals [MP3]

For those interested in picking up Endless Bummer, then just head on over to the bands online store. The LP is still available along with digital downloads as well. Enjoy!

Man, did I like Ten Grand. I can’t say the same for Forstella Ford sadly, but that’s not because I disliked them or anything…I just don’t recall ever listening to them. Why do I mention those two bands you ask? Well, because former members of both combine to make up Tornavalanche who have recently released their new EP Get Rich, or Cry Trying on Modern Radio and it’s pretty gosh darn good. Their debut mini album or EP was pretty good in it’s own right too, but Get Rich, or Cry Trying makes the three year wait between records a bit easier to forgive. Hell, let’s just make amends right now…I like it that much. But in all seriousness, Tornavalanche have put together a fine piece of mathy/post-a-number-of-things that I’m afraid far too few people will hear. While featuring two drummers is surely nothing new, as can be attested to by flipping through the archives on this very blog, Tornavalanche put them to good use by incorporating a few interesting patterns to keep pace with flurry of guitar notes spread across these five tracks. The capricious nature of Ten Grand still finds its way into much of Tornavalanche’s music, which ultimately leads to these five tracks being noticeably varied, but rocking nevertheless. They have no problem keeping it interesting and the little mock of our nation’s sudden love of autotune at the end of first track earns mucho points.

Tornavalanche – My Balls Are a Magnet for Pain Heat Fire [MP3]

Get Rich, or Cry Trying is available currently at Modern Radio. The album also comes with a digital download. Definitely check it out.

This is a fine little seven song 12” EP that I’ve been sitting on for awhile from the Polish group Setting the Woods on Fire, which also serves as the bands debut in fact. When it was passed along to me originally I think I was kind of prepared to hear some sort of high tempo retread screamo nonsense, but was met with something a whole lot better. Setting the Woods on Fire kind of tiptoe around the area of early to mid-nineties emo, but this carries a bit heavier post-grunge feel to it than what I think you’d typically hear with something like this. With that I mean the guitars sound plentiful without them really being so, while still creating these big loud ringing sheets of distortion from time to time giving the impression that they might have more than few amps or so around them. It’s the sort of slowed down meaty influenced rock that kind of dominated the previous decade, but without some of the cheesier aspects that occasionally came with it. Solid stuff throughout from this outfit, look forward to hearing more. In the meantime do check out a tune from the bands self-titled EP below out now on Promise! Promise!.

Setting the Woods on Fire – It Ends Today [MP3]

For those interested in picking the album up it appears to be available currently only through strictly no capital letters in the UK. I think they have or had plans to get this available in the US. It is available digitally through the usual suspects Emusic, Amazon, etc. if anyone prefers to go that route or seek as an alternative.

It seemed like every time I looked I would spot Milwaukee’s Disguised as Birds playing a date with Traindodge somewhere (and sure enough, looking now they are playing with them in October). Never really fully putting two and two together, that just maybe I should check these guys out, I finally picked up their newest EP New Demons a week or so ago and it’s done more than its fair share of rocking being unleashed of it’s little plastic sleeve. I’d actually heard their first full-length that they put out in 2005, however never followed up with them for whatever reason. I’ll chalk it up to me being lazy. But like I said, their persistent popping up in various tour dates with bands of the Midwestern type that I like so much led me to give them another go around. Kind of a shame, as listening to their latest release I feel like a fool for letting these guys go under the radar for so long. I also managed to pick up their second full-length Seeds in the process, which is also excellent but more of an expansive effort in terms of songwriting when compared to the tracks found here on New Demons. This EP is a focused and lean serving of Midwestern influenced rock with a notable post-hardcore slant, sort of similar to that of Prize Country but maybe a little less aggressive. No matter, Disguised as Birds are well worth checking out if you’re a fan of any of the aforementioned.

Disguised as Birds – Hayabusa’s Lament [MP3]

Everything the band has released up until this point is available through CD Baby. If you’re enjoying the track above, I definitely recommend checking out their previous albums along with picking up New Demons. Enjoy!

This is a new split single between Richmond, VA’s Mouthbreather and Florida’s Environmental Youth Crunch (now known as Vicious Fishes) out on Rorschach Records. My interest initially lied in Mouthbreather, as I was a fan of their debut album that came out last year. However, I am also always looking to hear something new and this single is my first exposure to EYC, whom have three very quick cuts featured on this particular release. They seem to be doing the upbeat pop/punk type of thing; however they seem to hit the mark as their side of the split is undeniably catchy and comes complete with sing-along verses and such. All around pretty solid stuff. The two songs from Mouthbreather on their side of the split are the first new songs from the band since their debut and in no way disappoint. It’s more of the same throwback Dischord era punk/post-hardcore to be found here and that’s a-ok, they seem to have it down as it would appear. It already has me excited to hear more from them, as the new material smokes.

Mouthbreather – Call Me Legion [stream]
Environmental Youth Crunch – Seriously Side Effects [stream]

For those interested in picking this up, it’s available though Rorschach Records. Looks like there is only 500 copies of this available spread across three different shades of wax. So get on it and enjoy!

I honestly thought I was in for some Clutch self-titled era type of jam/stoner rock thing when the first track started making its way through my speakers. At least by the guitar tone and the way the drums are recorded, it led me to believe that much. And even after listening to Hurry Up Shotgun’s debut and quickly realizing that was most definitely not to be…that lead track still sounds like Clutch sans the vocals/lyrics. The other seven tracks that are to be found on Hold the Angle still burrow themselves firmly in the heart of 90’s indie-rock, however this time leaping towards the sound that one might come to expect from a band that inhabits the west coast. People who read this blog often enough probably see where this is going and in fact might as well just skip to the song because it’s something that in all likelihood will interest those of you out there and I know time is important. However, for those who don’t…Hurry Up Shotgun conjure up a sound that is reminiscent to that of Hot Snakes during their fairly solid run as a band. Plenty of bounce and liveliness here to be found while not confining themselves squarely to one influence or idea as evidenced by the opening track. The band apparently already is at work on writing new material, which will be interesting to hear and see what direction they take.

Hurry Up Shotgun – Somebody Called [MP3]

For those interested in picking up Hold the Angle, just head on over to the bands website. There is also an audio player located there that will preview the entire album, so give that a go if you’re still unsure. Enjoy!