Music Worth Checking Out: 1st Quarter 2016

Hey, gang. Welcome back for another go 'round. The nocturnal lifestyle still isn't lending itself to productivity or motivation, but luckily the music that I've discovered in the first 3 months of 2016 (and a couple from the end of the year that didn't make the list) is reason enough to spur me to write. It has me excited for the rest of the year, including new Elzhi and Deftones albums soon and possibly new Prawn in the fall. But before I get too far ahead of myself, let's review what 2016 has brought to my ears.

Standard disclaimer time: This blog is really not meant for public consumption, although I appreciate every random reader from across the globe. The intended audience for this, which informs the way I write and describe/compare the music, is composed of the friends I’ve accumulated in my life with whom I’ve shared mutual enjoyment of music in the past. My purpose here is to attempt to foster or rekindle that facet of those relationships. Still, thanks for reading, whoever and wherever you are. Also, it doesn't matter whether it came out in 1997 or 2015. If I found out about it recently and I like it, I'll include it here.

Peregrine - Sorry About The Mess

It has been quite a while since I've been this blown away by a debut release. This band is from Worcester, Mass and formed from the ashes of Ghost Ocean, whose two EPs were highlighted in previous years in this blog. It seems like most of the time bands that form out of the breakup of one you like don't measure up to their predecessor. I approached this six-song EP with that assumption, and within two listens realized I couldn't have been more wrong. They sound like they've been together a decade and have honed the shit out of their style, and it all flows so effortlessly between 90's emo and post-hardcore with flourishes of indie rock, shoegaze, and mid-tempo pop-punk. They remind me of so many personally revered bands that I had to make a list to keep track, and here's what I came up with: Sore Eyelids, Counterfit, Jimmy Eat World, Your Best Friend, Sunny Day Real Estate (circa Diary), Tokyo Rose (circa Reinventing A Lost Art), Face To Face (circa Ignorance Is Bliss), The Beautiful Mistake, Mineral, Further Seems Forever, and Somos. It'll be such a god damned egregious error if this never gets the vinyl treatment. I'd listen to the whole thing once through if I were you, but the standouts for me are the title track and "Mistakes That Make Us".

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face to face - Protection

By now you should've heard that this is at least a very good if not truly great return to form for these grizzled vets, one of the first punk bands I ever got into. Their return to Fat Wreck Chords set the stage perfectly for them to make fans forget the almost unlistenable previous album with a triumphant piece of work that, to me, rivals their best. I could go back and forth on whether Big Choice or face to face is my favorite, but this is damn close along with Don't Turn Away. If you seriously haven't heard this yet (hurry up, you're failing at potential joy in life), dial up "Double Crossed", "See If I Care", or "It Almost All Went Wrong" and rejoice.

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Somos - First Day Back

I've read quite a bit of fair criticism about this album by people who adored Temple of Plenty like I did. Those gripes tend to range from the production being too spit-shined and lifeless to the fact that there are 11 tracks and 3 are more like ambient/electronic interludes than songs, but despite those blemishes I think this is a really fucking enjoyable listen with a couple of truly strong songs in "Alright, I'll Wait" and "Thorn In The Side" (see video links). It's crazy how these guys have gone from a raging melodic hardcore machine on their demo (at least on "Showed Up Late") to an emo and pop-punk tinged indie rock band on their 2nd album, and yet I've loved the progression despite it never going the way I'd have wanted it to. I can count the number of bands I can say that about on one hand. I love how the vocal cadence and tone remind me of mid-80's gloomy Brit-pop, but what really keeps me sold is the drum work. This kid injects so much more energy into everything than 95% of other drummers would. Nice chap, too. I look forward to the next time I get to see them.

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Oslow - No Longer Concerns Me 7"

I'm already thankful to the great continent of Australia for giving me such thoroughly righteous bands as Paper Arms and Luca Brasi, and now I can add Oslow to that list. This 7" from 2015 is their most recent output (featuring standout track "Heirloom"), but their two previous EPs are also highly recommended (especially songs "Simple Lasting Light" from Field and "Cliffy" from Days Are So Bright Now). Like Peregrine, they blend 90's emo and post-hardcore but probably trend slightly more toward the latter. Still, they've developed their sound considerably between releases over a period of 4 years and show all kinds of different influences and moods. They really remind me of On The Might Of Princes circa Sirens, as well as Sport's Bon Voyage, and others like Small Brown Bike, The Casket Lottery, Algernon Cadwallader, Benton Falls, Title Fight circa Shed/Floral Green, Dikembe, Helen Earth Band, CSTVT....maybe a little At The Drive In circa In Casino Out. If anybody wants to go in on a couple 7"s shipped from Australia, get at me because I'd like to own this one but don't want to pay the entire shipping charge myself.

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The Red Owls - Do You Feel Any Better?

This melodic punk band features a member of The Ataris (pretty sure it's the harpsichord player) but has more edge than his other band while maintaining some of the catchiness. Implants, Lagwagon, No Use For A Name, and the general Fat sound come to mind. The last track doesn't do much for me but the other three are solid.

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Fairlane - WIRIS

Anybody remember late 90's Doghouse Records emo band Joshua? These ATLiens remind me a lot of them. They also employ some Quicksand/Handsome-ish riffs and rhythms in spots. Furthermore, they name Hum and Texas Is The Reason as main influences, so you know they've studied the ancient scrolls and should be a band I (and you too) would like. I have yet to check out their back catalog (fixing that as we speak) but this EP is very encouraging. If anyone wants to go in on a couple copies of this 7" (the label is in the UK), let me know.

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Riot Acts - Stuck

These Canadian post-hardcore/punk rock lads conjure up reminders of Autopilot Off/Cooter, post-Daggermouth band In Bear Country, The Beautiful Mistake, Thursday, and a dose of Story Of The Year's first album (before they went all metal on/up that ass). The double-time parts remind me of fellow Canucks This Is A Standoff, and A-Types era Hopesfall comes to mind in the chorus of closer "Lifeline". All in all, this is a very solid & promising EP that's pretty even throughout.

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(Chris Wollard & The) Ship Thieves - No Anchor

Blacktop Cadence and The Draft are the only Hot Water Music side projects I've ever cared to listen to. Nothing Mr. Wollard and the Thieves did before this interested me, but this is more of a straight-ahead punk 'n' roll album not unlike Hot Water's more recent output but with (even) less inspired drumming. It lacks memorability because of that but is still worthy of at least a few listens if you're a fan of the style.

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Beneficence - Basement Chemistry

Hip-hop is going to have a hard time topping this album for me this year. Just go fucking listen to it already, ya twerp! It's fantastic, and there are only one or two semi-duds. "Got That" and "Anyway It Goes (ft. MC Eiht)" are stupendous, "Smooth Hardcore (ft. A.G.)" and "When The Sun Comes (ft. Masta Ace)" are really god damn good, and "Manuscripts (ft. MindsOne)" is ridiculous. Ill Adrenaline Records is constantly going toe-to-toe with Mello Music Group for most consistent label in boom-bap these days.

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Murs & 9th Wonder - Brighter Daze

This super duo just can't stop making records together no matter how many times they say they're done, and the world is a better place for it. I don't even have any real highlights off this, but there's also no junk either. You know what to expect from these two by now, and Murs is as clever, poignant, and raw as ever. As a result, this might even be their strongest effort overall.

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People Under The Stairs - The Gettin' Off Stage: Step 1

You also should know what to expect from Thes One and Double K by now, and for the most part they deliver on this EP (they're doing a series of these instead of an album...I'm guessing the kids need braces or something). It's not their strongest work, but it's not as dull as Highlighter or Stepfather, which I consider their low points. "Saturday Night Again" is probably a good representative if you only have a few minutes.

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Truth - From Ashes To Kingdom Come

Here's another solid entry from Ill Adrenaline Records, though this one is more notable for its features, production, and overall staunch throwback aesthetic since Truth himself doesn't 100% convince me on the mic. "New Type of Something (ft. Sean Price)" is probably a good place to start.

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Thanks so much for checking out this update. I hope you found something to take along with you. Until the next time we meet, be kind to dumb animals and have some safe.