Air Raid Barcelona - Air Raid Barcelona

These guys put their demo up for free, and it's really good, and you should listen.

C'monnnnnnnnnnn. Do itttttttt.

*ahem*

Summary: Thick, jangly, Latterman-influenced pop-punk with hooks that sound pried from the cold, dead hands of Shorebirds (or perhaps some other band with a little more name recognition), with a little West Coast flare thrown in for good measure.

If that sounds at all up your alley, check it out.

Air Raid Barcelona

The Ergs!/Lemuria Split EP

The Ergs! are a bouncy, hook-laden, Ramones-style pop-punk trio from New Jersey who show little to no shame in reproducing their influences. They also play a stellar version of "Hey Jealousy", which you may remember as that song from the trailer to every other mid-90's romantic comedy. Except now it's okay to like it, cuz it has mad punk cred to it.

Lemuria is a power pop trio from Buffalo, who play slower, but similarly catchy pop-oriented songs as The Ergs. Strong melodies and excellent use of dual male/female vocalists typify their sound, comparable here to early Thermals. Also typifying their sound: being really super good. I should mention that too.

Spoiler Alert: The Ergs! eventually defeat Lemuria through the use of the hereto unmentioned Ultimate Nullifier. The Earth is saved... but at what cost

the ergs! vs. lemuria

Banner Pilot/Monikers Split EP

Banner Pilot are aggressively peppy pop-punk with a burning drive, a heart of gold and access to at least three Dillinger Four records. Monikers are a rough-and-tumble gang of misfits from the wrong side of the tracks, their unmitigated insistence on booze, debauchery and loose morals being the direct cause of many a sheriff to throw his hat in the air in an act of frustration.

One doesn't play by the rules. The other regularly converses with an eight foot tall bunny named Harvey that only Fred and Barney can see. Together, they must find the jade monkey before celebrity cameo Peter Lorre and his band of murderous fiends take Ohio... by force! Will they ever learn how to work together without hilariously offbeat shenanigans ensuing?

find out upon listening to...

another great pop-punk split release!

get it here, dum-dums


Next time: Unwitting superhero faction "The Ergs" face off against Lemuria, a being of pure energy that eats entire galaxies for sport! Don't miss it!

RVIVR - Life Moves 7"

RVIVR is a four-piece punk band that features members from Latterman and Shorebirds, sounding fairly similar to the rough, early sounds of the latter. Life Moves marks the band's first release, and it is a stellar example of gritty, emotional pop-punk that abounds both in hooks and intensity.

The band's formula could probably be written down as shouted vocals surrounded by whirring guitars and a humming, measured bass, but this would be to ignore the variety and intelligibility of each individual track. Every song stands out on its own as catchy, energetic and passionate, and this is why Life Moves is such a great EP, comparable even to Lifetime's Tinnitus in its ability to blend aggression and pop melody.

Title track "Life Moves" opens the EP, a wistful song which soars with hope and vitality almost in spite of itself, as upbeat for the future as it is nostalgic for the past. The theme is simple: life moves, regardless of whether you want it to or not. This is followed by the fun, frenetic whir of "Plenty of Time", a song which seems to reply to the previously addressed problem with a resounding "Who cares?".

At this point, RVIVR show off the poppier side of their attack; the third song, "Can't Stand It", follows a guitar riff that could be attached to the catchiest of 80s fluff, yet it still feels grounded in RVIVR's rough, basement punk appeal.

However, the stand-out track, if one had to be picked, would have to be the closer, "Scrooged". The song begins in a furious and lively fashion, building and maintaining tension beautifully throughout its three minute run-time as the singers wax poetic about government corruption. The lyrics are powerful, although less of their own accord than through the forcefulness with which they're delivered. "Scrooged" provides an impassioned and rather pessimistic finish to a fantastic and otherwise fairly upbeat EP.

and they'll take what they want

Download it here or buy it here.

Shorebirds - Shorebirds 7"

Pop-punk project featuring Matt Canino of Latterman on guitar and lead vocals and Chris Bauermeister of Jawbreaker on bass. Owing obvious sonic influences to both of the aforementioned groups, Shorebirds combine melody and passion into a powerful and occasionally uplifting package. This 7" is a lot rougher than their eventual full-length, It's Gonna Get Ugly, which was released last year, but it crackles with DIY enthusiasm and a vinyl hiss that adds to the roughness of the sound. Music for a restless night when you're trapped in the city with nothing to do.

Shorebirds 7"

Latterman - Turn Up the Punk, We'll Be Singing

“what we need round here is positive people”

Latterman is one of those bands that’s just a joy to listen to. The Long Island foursome play with an intense energy and passion for their music, their lyrics are unapologetically upbeat, and their music radiates with an undaunted positivity, as if to re-assure the listener that everything’s going to be alright. To use an analogy taken from Allmusic, Latterman “is like the musical equivalent of a friend patting you on the back and dragging you out for a cold beer after spending the day feeling a bit down”.

Turn Up the Punk, We’ll Be Singing is Latterman’s first full-length album. Originally released on Traffic Violation Records in 2002, it got a re-release on Deep Elm in 2005 thanks to the greater popularity that came with the release of their second album, No Matter Where We Go…! The album is rawer than much of what would come after it, yet still imbued with much better production values than anything the band had released previously. Turn Up the Punk is then something of a middle ground in the evolution of Latterman’s sound, caught between the rougher, basement band punk of their demo and early seven inches, and the cleaner, more varied and melodic band they would grow into on subsequent full-lengths. And yet, it is undeniably memorable because of those clashing directions.

Musically, the group creates what sounds like a combination of pop-punk and post-hardcore, mixing the airy, upbeat tones of the former with the heaviness and instrumental complexity of the latter. Whether strummed or picked, the guitars emit a melodic and joyous pitch that wonderfully emphasizes the optimism and positivity that reigns throughout not just Turn Up the Punk, but Latterman’s entire discography. The music crackles with a youthful vigour, one that signifies the passion of the people playing it.


And while there isn’t too much variety to speak of, the songs never sound recycled from one another, with distinctions coming both in the form of well-placed hooks and well-defined lyrical subject matter. The typical punk subjects of mid-20 something apathy are touched on (“My Dreams About Not Sleeping Until 3 p.m.”, “Too Many Emo Days”), but always in the sense of “Well, what can we do about this?” Latterman doesn’t just examine the problems surrounding their lives, but actively (and optimistically) looks at what they, and you, as individuals can do about it. Rather than wallow in self-pity, each song is its own anthem of empowerment, garnished with equally anthemic chants and rallying cries.

If you let your heart tell you who you need to be
You'll find a beautiful person in the mirror everyday

Even when Latterman engages in social criticism (“The Biggest Sausage Party Ever”), they still address it from a perspective of what can be done about it, as opposed to one of abject despondence. Consumer culture and gender inequalities are chief topics of criticism, with awareness, honesty and DIY being promoted as ways of combating these social ills from the standpoint of the individual.

On Turn Up the Punk, We’ll Be Singing, Latterman conceive their inimitable and passionate brand of punk rock with a bang, creating a style just as individual as the message they preach. This is not just energetic and anthemic pop-punk, delivered with an upbeat attitude and a strong sense of social morality, but a shining example of the level of originality still achievable in punk. Pick yourself up a cold beer and give it a listen.

remind ourselves ten years from now
just what we need

Chinese Telephones/Dear Landlord Split 7"

Recorded and released in 2007, this split is a dual effort from two talented Mid-western punk groups, Dear Landlord and Chinese Telephones. The first group, Dear Landlord, definitely has the better side of the split, as they play with the kind of relentlessness and energy usually reserved to basement shows and community centers, only with the skill to back it. They manage to successfully supplement their aggressive approach with a number of memorable hooks and melodies, sounding more than a little bit like early-00's Dillinger Four in the process. The guitars are pummeling in their assault, and the production works to emphasize their strength excellently. The vocals are spectacular as well, delivered with the kind of energy and urgency that, combined with the similarly desperate spirit of the lyrics, practically demand to be sung along with (if you can figure them out anyway).

we're not that hopeless
we're not as fucked as you think
in certain moments
we can do anything

we're winning when you bleed

Chinese Telephones, on the other hand, play a brand of punk that, while less refined in sound quality and production, emphasizes a more upbeat approach, namely in the guitarwork; if Dear Landlord can be compared to Dillinger Four, then a suitable comparison for Chinese Telephones could be a rougher-sounding Latterman. The result of both the production and the band's chaotic style of playing is a much messier and more organic feel to their songs. Unfortunately, the vocals tend to get drowned out much more easily this way, rendering much of the lyrics undecipherable. Regardless, this is a very strong split from two bands that deserve more attention than they're getting, and an excellent way to spend your next eight minutes.


i'm not saying get'er done, but don't just stand there

Banner Pilot - Pass the Poison EP

I've been on something of a pop-punk fix of late, most of it being your traditional post-00's Midwestern punk concoctions of smooth, hook-laden melodies, angrily shouted raspy vocals and drunken, self-effacing lyrics (e.g. The Lawrence Arms, Dear Landlord, Dillinger Four, Off With Their Heads, Chinese Telephones). All very good stuff if you don't mind the occasional redundancies in sound. But what prompts this post is one of the newer bands to surface from that area, Banner Pilot, who made waves last year with their full-length debut Resignation Day, and whose first EP Pass the Poison is now available for free download here. It's great sloppy and aggressive pop-punk from what has to be the world capital of such things by now, Minneapolis. Teeming with passion and energy, Pass the Poison is a very strong showing by an undoubtedly talented and promising punk outfit.

And if you like this, don't forget to look for their Fat Wreck debut, scheduled for release this fall.

Best of 2008: #11. The Max Levine Ensemble - OK Smartypants

my mom asked me "where's the voice in this country",
i said everybody's got one, they're just garbled and clumsy,
reared up to spit back referential newspeak...
in a postmodern fucking paradise

From the fertile grounds of Washington D.C. come The Max Levine Ensemble, an exceptional punk trio that makes peppy, energetic and literate pop-punk music reminiscent of The Ergs. Known for their strict DIY ethics and their experimentation with a wide array of instruments, OK Smartypants is the ensemble's 4th full-length album and their first as a trio, showing off a tighter, more well-honed set of song-writing dynamics and a cleaner sound to go along with it. As a result, the music has a spark to it that makes the many eccentricities in the group's sound stand out, giving it an offbeat feeling that's hard not to enjoy.

Where The Max Levine Ensemble reach their greatest appeal is in their idiosyncratic and infectious arsenal of pop hooks and occasionally frenzied pace. From the increasingly frenetic "One Click", to the stop-and-start "Love, Capital L", to the melodious hums of "Complex Machines", their plentiful reserves of energy never seem to run out. The hooks presented on a song like "I Loved to Watch Them..." almost demand a response from the listener; and seeing how the song acts as an ode to the pure connection between people and music that seems to make all the petty problems of regular life seem to go away, to not dance along would practically be heresy.

Another distinctive feature of the band is their lead singer/guitarist, David Combs, also known as Spoonboy (a name under which he also has an acoustic act), whose high-pitched cries reach an almost cartoonish level at times, a stellar compliment to the upbeat blur around him. There's something intoxicating about the enthusiasm that Spoonboy sings with that makes every song sound optimistic, in an innocent sort of way, regardless of whether or not he's singing about the purposeful ignorance of the mainstream media channels ("Nuclearadio"), or the blinding cynicism of his peers ("You're Bitter"). The topics confronted on OK Smartypants generally revolve around the personal issues in our lives, with many of the songs dealing with the running theme of failed expectations and bittersweet relationships. That these topics are dealt with in such a naive tone seems to be intentional, as if each song is channeled through that one sympathetic friend who helps you through a hard time by saying that everything will get better, whether it will or not.

The Max Levine Ensemble are that friend. Get to know them better.

(And like any good friend, they also offer the album for download here! It's also available for physical release via the same link if you wanna go analog.)

Lifetime - Tinnitus EP

Lifetime - Tinnitus


This EP was part of a supremely awesome Zen post, so you can check that out and/or download it here.

Lifetime was a melodic hardcore/pop-punk band from New Jersey, formed by Ari Katz and Dan Yemin (who would later go on to play in Kid Dynamite and Paint It Black) in 1991. Before breaking up (for the first time) in 1997, the group was heralded as one of the strongest acts to come out of the New Jersey punk scene, a pop-punk band that was just underground enough to be cool to like. The Tinnitus 7” was released in 1994, and features a brasher, more aggressive sound than the poppy, streamlined approach shown in their later, more famous works. It would eventually be collected in The Seven Inches collection a couple of years later, along with other early EP’s released by the band.


“Isae Aldy Beausoleil” begins the record with a screeching riff, and immediately transitions into an aggressively fast-paced track, showing the band’s superb ability to seamlessly change pace. Much of the credit belongs to Yemin, who weaves an endless loop of riffs in stream-like fashion, only breaking to build tension. The next song, “Ferret”, shows more of the same, with the highlight coming just over two minutes in when the band completely tears it up coming out of a solitary bass line. “Starsixtynine” brings with it a heaving instrumental combination right off the bat, reaching calamitous levels of energy as the throaty yelp of the title track brings the end to another break. This capability for building momentum out of nothing is a huge strength of the band, and it’s exhibited to perfection throughout Tinnitus. The last song, “Ampersand”, is possibly the most cathartic of all, starting off slowly as the guitar and bass intertwine, working together to some leisurely yet interesting melodies. Eventually, the band breaks yet again (Are you noticing a pattern yet?), with the drums and guitars eventually bringing the pace to a frantic rate as Katz screams his heart out in confronting yet another faceless oppressor. The emotion and sentiment come off as even more real thanks to the production, which has a rawness to it that really makes these songs unique in the spectrum of pop-punk, showing that layers of polish are anything but necessary in crafting intricate punk gems.

This is angry, passionate punk music full of throaty, cathartic gasps and some great fucking melodies. In other words, it’s what I’ve been told every other Lifetime release is. Except Tinnitus actually lives up to the reputation.