Relient K
This is it how it should always happen. Relient K, a band once known for quirky little pop culture references peppered with mild God-isms, is now a pop-rock powerhouse. With more former members than current ones, the band has somehow outlasted every complication, including 2007’s absolutely terrible output Five Score and Seven Years Ago. That abomination’s only silver lining is its sneak peaks at the joy within Forget and Not Slow Down. Singer Matt Thiessen has bounced back with the best choruses and most emotionally charged songs of his career. But what becomes most apparent during Forget and Not Slow Down is its cohesiveness, that indefinable feeling when everything is exactly where it should be. A first for the band, intros like “Oasis” and outros like “Flare” create brief moments of reflection before their counterparts continue the noble task of blowing us away. Lucky you, welcome to 2009’s Swan Song.
Instantly infectious, “Forget and Not Slow Down” starts with the words, “How many times can I push it aside? / Is it time I befriended all the ghosts of all the things that haunt me most?,” and it becomes clear that we are in for a personal (but thoughtful!) record. A certain level of intelligence is expected from Relient K at this point, so the real sigh of relief comes when Hoopes and Thiessen lead the charge into an explosively memorable chorus. Some formulas just work, and Forget and Not Slow Down’s mid-tempo, uplifting rock succeeds more triumphantly than you’d think. “I Don’t Need A Soul” adds a slowed-down bridge to the proceedings so that we can build up into a heavenly sugar rush. “Candlelight” is an Mmhmm song on steroids with its tinkling percussion and oh-so-light backing vocals. We couldn’t have asked for a more pleasing introduction.
But let’s be honest, these aren’t really wacky left turns for the band. It’s hard to make something stand out after 10 years of doing small rewrites in the same essay. What makes these “better” than Relient K’s other works is the band’s steadfastness in creating each song’s mood. “Savannah” is all at once the band’s lightest and heaviest fare. Abstractly picked guitar and Thiessen in hushed tones means it could all erupt into another radio ready chorus, but instead the mood stays subdued. We’re completely in their hands, following along in awe. “This Is The End” catapults from an antsy piano ballad into the album’s loudest, punk-est number. Thiessen has a bite in his vocals that he has of late kept under lock and key: “You’re not the first thing in my life that I’ve loved and lost / Yeah I’ve done worse things that I might be less inclined to merely just shrug off.” In the same way that we tip-toed behind “Savannah”, we fist pump and burn s**t to the ground while “This Is The End” smashes around. A classical-ish piano part then connects “This Is The End” with closer “(If You Want It)”, and don’t be alarmed if you have no idea what to expect. Pop-punk bands rarely create actual drama, but on first listen a happily anxious vibe will overtake you while Thiessen tones himself down over a grand string section. Is he going to unleash or what? He croons, “I’ve been convincing myself that I’m worthwhile / Cause I’m worth what I’ll convince myself to be.” And then it happens, right?
Review By AbsolutePunk.net
Genre：Pop Punk / Christian / Alternative
Album: Forget And Not Slow Down
MySpace：http://www.myspace.com/RelientK
- Track List -
01. Forget And Not Slow Down 3:22
02. I Don’t Need A Soul 3:51
03. Candlelight 3:21
04. Flare (Outro) 0:59
05. Part Of It 3:20
06. (Outro) 1:34
07. Therapy 3:43
08. Over It 3:53
09. Sahara 3:48
10. Oasis (Intro) 0:40
11. Savannah 4:16
12. Baby (Outro) 0:46
13. If You Believe Me 3:20
14. This Is The End 2:16
15. (If You Want It) 3:18
Read MoreTry Album [Mediafire] | Relient K – Forget And Not Slow Down
Cartel
A band in such favor with the music scene fell quickly with the combination of a sophomore slump and a Dr. Pepper bubble. Now poised to take back their pop/punk title they once held when ‘Chroma’ was released, Cartel has made sure they didn’t repeat the mistakes of the last self titled album.
Although ‘Cycles’ doesn’t sell out everything for the possibility of landing on everyone’s radio like the last album did, it doesn’t do a lot in general. The songs, while decent, tend be lackluster rather than instantly repeatable. “Let’s Go” comes out with guns blazin’ most likely taking you back in time with Will Pugh’s familiar, spine chilling, vocals. The song is a call for fans to rejoin the band on their journey, playing off lyrics and music which are a guaranteed success during live shows. After “Let’s Go” however, the excited drops off and continues to fall as each track goes on.
“Faster Ride” is a great example track for the album’s overall experience. A fairly interesting beginning and verses, but a chorus that plays up the contrived parts not giving any reason to hit repeat on the track. “Only You” plays off the slower style, but fails to move pass the monotone threshold which is fine for the first minute but quickly gets old after than. “Typical” remains one of the few bright moments after the record’s start including some good ol’ hooks, though generic, for some variation.
‘Chroma’ isn’t coming back and ‘Cycles’ is just more proof of that. This is an album just good enough on the surface to get a few people to hang on for hope, but doesn’t contain anything worthy of picking up new fans.
Review By TheAlbumProject
Genre：Pop Punk / Rock / Pop
MySpace：http://www.myspace.com/cartel
- Track List -
1. Let’s Go 2:40
2. The Perfect Mistake 3:24
3. Faster Ride 3:28
4. Deep South 4:07
5. Only You 3:46
6. It Still Remains 3:34
7. 27 Steps 3:05
8. See Me Now 3:19
9. Typical 3:04
10. Conventional Friend 3:27
11. Retrograde 4:07
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Dropout Year
Dropout Year was to me like 9th grade summed up in pissed off songs about girls who cheat, lie, and were just bitches. I have to say that, since then the band and I have grown up, and now I find myself listening to their songs missing their edge. I may miss their edge and more harsh style of Pop Punk, but this EP is as solid as they come. Catchy lyrics, great riffs, along with well matured vocals make this band, and EP worth a listen. The last song on the EP is one of their oldies, redone, and in my opinion remastered with a very nice production that really to me sums up the band itself. The song has changed along with them and Dropout Year has grown in both quality and entertainment. Be sure to give them a listen, and make sure they drop-in to your music library.
Artist: Dropout Year
Album: The Way We Play
Genre: Pop Punk / Pop / Rock
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/dropoutyear
-Track List-
1. This Notebook 3:49
2. Mile Marker 3:47
3. The Other Line 3:20
4. Counting Down 4:01
5. Pretty You 4:23
6. Lights Turned Low (Ready Go) 3:08
7. Change Today 3:22
8. As You Wish 3:46
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Vega Under Fire
In the city of Naples, Florida, if you were to walk the streets and ask the people to name one famous person or group of people from Naples, you would hear more people reply, Steven Spielberg rather then the band Vega Under Fire. Even though they have a big shadow to escape in Steven Spielberg, Vega Under Fire are poised to become the next breakout band of the year with the release of their new CD Life Of The Party.
Vega Under Fire pulls off radio-friendly, dance-able, and fun synth-rock-pop-punk sounds with just a touch of aggression to complete the package. The album starts off with the track “Fabricated Air,” which allows the band to show off their strong points: grooving bass lines and catchy synths. Although this track may not be as radio-friendly as some of the others, it certainly gives the listener the first taste of the experience within this record.
The band has the ability to create a very different sound, one where they can craft easily-digestable pop music like Plain White T’s and Motion City Soundtrack, but can possess these shades of something heavier, along the lines of Circa Survive. The talent of these musicians cannot be denied, as well as the strength of the vocalist Brian Blount. His voice is very interesting in how it can be so catchy and endearing to the listener.
Unfortunately, like most albums, this one also has it flaws. What Life of the Party lacks is mostly in its production value. It can be a very rough blend sometimes, often discounting the true ability of the vocalist. Also, like most bands, these guys are young, they aren’t singing about anything too important because they are still so young and inexperienced However, it doesn’t really take away from the overall feeling of the album (that is to say, the lyrics aren’t cringe worthy).
So many bands in this generation’s music industry can be discounted as being the same thing over and over again. But with Vega Under Fire, there is something special. Behind the front of catchy tunes, we can find actual talent and a diverse sound. They can meld together an impressive combination of dance-y party songs, with songs that can be rocked out to in your local mosh pit.
If you have to choose one CD to be the soundtrack to your summer, I’d give Life of the Party a listen and see if you can’t not enjoy the songs and the approach to music that this band is taking. Definitely a band that will be making big steps in this year, and for many years to come, as long as dancing never goes out of style, these guys will always have a job.
Review By GlamourKillsUs of AbsolutePunk.net
Artist: Vega Under Fire
Album: Life OF The Party EP [2008]
Genre: Pop Punk / Indie / Pop
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/vegaunderfire
-Track List-
01. Fabricated Air
02. Cue The Fight Song
03. Life Of The Party
04. Boom Boom
05. Catapult
A Day To Remember
A Day To Remember
Fun. I think with all the atrocities and seriousness in the music industry these days with band feuds and band civil wars there aren’t many bands around that seem like they are in it for the fun. This is the first release/band in awhile that I’ve come to terms with that I feel like the band is having fun with what they do and these guys in this band feel like they grew up as a kid who loved music just like any of us. I could throw out formulas and genre bull*** that probably the first thing that comes to anyone’s mind but who invented the rules anyway? A Day To Remember is a band much like Set Your Goals which has the furious, fast, fun, influences of modern day pop-punk and combines it with crushing breakdowns and hardcore pace screaming/chanting. For all of the music elitists out there, this is simply a nightmare. It’s just a known thing that a lot of people who like pop-punk and alternative rock isn’t so much for screaming, hardcore vocals (even though times have changed) and it’s most definite then most of the hardcore and metal core kids cant stand the “whining” in pop-punk. It’s a genre clash, and it’s an interesting mix for a band to bring to the table. Another band that’s hitting it off big is doing the same thing and a lot of people are in love with them, they are known as Set Your Goals. Already though if you’re a huge Set Your Goals fan you won’t need to read any longer because this will be your nirvana. For those who are non-believers or just those who are ignorant to the differences in genres, open up your ears to probably the music industries next big cash in.
For Those Who Have Heart
If you’re a fan of Set Your Goals the first song “Fast Forward to 2012” is basically going to be right up your alley. The song begins at a blazing hardcore saddle up pace with melodic vocals that tell of the story of how this band started from rags and are now on there next (2nd) album and are showing why there here to stay. Chants and screams come into the song after the chorus and really the first thing you’ll notice is the diversity in vocals. This isn’t some bulimic emo kid trying to scream with his whiny nerdy vocals. It simply sounds like two different people doing the vocals where he can actually sing on a pop-punk level and scream with a heavy, throaty, brash. “Speak Of The Devil” starts up with hardcore style of guitar and the whole song feels like it’s rising upwards to a final climax. The song construction here comes with screamed out verses and a melodic singing chorus. What’s good about this song construction is the fact that the chorus is where the hook will catch you by the ear for it’s catchiness and sing-a-along styling. Very early into this album you can feel the vibe of the fun, fast pace, and chug like breaks.
“The Danger In Starting A Fire” starts off feeling like an armor for sleep song in every element… leaving most people with a big WTF? When the song develops into itself the verses funnel out into a more post-hardcore vibe with guitars doing the whole chug and pinched harmonic thing. Staying true to the hardcore feel and not being some washed up breakdown band comes a lot of chants where I deem its appropriate in the music. The chants are something that freshen up the song since they come at climatic points of the music and usually will make you chant along with it. The breakdown in this song particularly stands out at the end of the 2 minute mark for death metal like vocals that feel like more growls then anything and a metal core chug and shriek style of palm muted open dropped down chords and then high strung upper neck variation. I know I’m a sucker for that but for a band that was just singing with melody and catchiness to end a song like that… Wow? “The Plot To Bomb The Panhandle” is the single off of “For Those Who Have Heart”. The song is definitely listener friendly and is based off of a lot of hook but I wouldn’t expect less from Victory Records. The song uses just a lot of octave chords and palm muted power chords which feels so generic compared to these previous songs but the chorus is indeed what a single should be… catchy and sing-able. The song definitely feels like it’d appeal a lot more to the pop-punk community since it’s basically an all out pop-punk song that has it’s moments of wanting to be “tough”. It’s probably a song that you’ll be bound to hear since it’s a single but I wouldn’t recommend it.
“Monument” washes out any bad taste that the previous song lasted in your ears depending on who you are. The song continues on a pop-punk vibe and reminds me of Saosin a lot. If anything you’d have to appreciate the melodic vocals for not being nasally and whiney, but more high strung and catchy. The thing here is that the pop-punk vocals use a lot of licks in the hardcore style of lyrics which feel very uplifting, motivating, and unified. I like that a lot. A song like this and the single though are almost throughout sung melodically and that won’t appeal to a lot of the hardcore elites. My favorite part of this song though is the build up at the end where is takes one last hardcore swing at the listener. The chanted vocals of “This is my time to shine” just feels so motivating and uplifting to me and leaves me with anticipation for the rest of the album and reminds me of old school Comeback Kid.
Unfournately, “The Price We Pay” is probably one of the biggest let downs to a previous song I ever felt. The song has a dead slow pace to it’s originally high octane hardcore styling. It’s acoustic and the vocals didn’t really please me as much as they could of. This is one of the worst song placements I could of ever imagined since it kills almost all of the momentum this album was snowballing before. To be honest I could of done just without this song since it feels like a filler more than anything and also because…
…“Colder Than My Heart, If You Can Imagine” brings everything back to full speed ahead. More recently I’ve been listening to LoveHateHero and this song definitely has the vibe that band did in “White Lies”. The vocals in this song really feel like they peak on a melodic level where Jeremy reaches higher notes then ever before and overall it feels nice and fresh on the ears. Guitar like here feels like the standard of most post-hardcore bands and nothing really too flashy. The drummer on the other hand feels like he takes an active role in being the back bone of this band and just like many other hardcore bands. “Show ‘Em The Hopes” is a Set Your Goals vibe indefinitely. The song starts off at that blazing hardcore pace with chants and never really lets go if only to smash you in the side of the head with its breakdown. I’m 90% certain that if you’re a Set Your Goals fan this is a good example of the songs that will please you off this album. This song particularly feels like the guitar players finally woke up and started veering off without the rest of the band going in it’s own direction. Little hooks and more advanced riffing with pinched harmonics are finally delightful but where have they been for the other songs? “A Shot In The Dark” is where the band is really putting there foot down. It feels like they are going to continue going in the right direction now and not look back. This song is more metal core like than anything with its style of vocaling and chugging of guitars. It doesn’t stay that way but it engulfs the listener with a once again catchy chorus that’s sung. The guitar playing in this album woke up in the 2nd half. Maybe it’s me being a sucker for Metalcore but even the pinched harmonics sound a lot better then most bands recorded versions. “A Shot In The Dark” would definitely be one of the highlights of this album for me and a song to recommend to the common person.
“Here’s To The Past” starts out with it’s title chanted and continues the album in a great direction. The drumming in the verse is something that feels very nice, that you’d hear from a band like Set It Straight or even Modern Life Is War. It’s obvious that this band has a lot of ranged influences and if you can’t sense that by now you need to quit music. The catchiness is just overflowing out of this song. “I Heard It’s The Softest Thing Ever” has an introduction that builds up over 15 seconds. After that it releases a fury attack of double bass and palm muted guitars with deep throat vocals. The song keeps that fury attack in the verses and has an all out singing chorus. By now you should either love this or hate this… “Start The Shooting” is a finale that can’t be missed. The song is a little bit of everything all of the previous songs were (thank god no acoustic). It’s a great way to leave the listener with it’s Saosin like chorus and its throaty screaming in between here and there.
The Danger In Starting a Fire
A Day To Remember is a band that’s going to get the same criticism that Set Your Goals has in mixing two genres that don’t particularly have people who like each others music. A lot of bands split up because the members in the band couldn’t agree on a sound but in this band the band members don’t agree on a sound but instead gives the listener a diversified effort of pop-punk, alternative, and hardcore genres. For people who aren’t music elitists who rep there one genre of ignorance hard, this is definitely not the band for you. You’ll be able to find the style you don’t like and complain but that’s the problem if a band goes out on a limb like this. It’s hard to find people who like both genres but I feel like A Day To Remember did a good enough job on a whole band effort that even if you don’t like one or another of the genres, it still might win you over. The only thing to fear now… is this the new sound these labels are going to cash in on?
Review By SputnikMusic.Com
Artist: A Day To Remember
Album: Discography
Genre: Pop Punk / Hardcore
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/adaytoremember
-Album List-
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Sparks The Rescue
Every once in awhile, a band happens to take a 180 degree turn. Sometimes the reasons are evident, other times not so much. Sparks the Rescue falls under the latter. Somewhere between releasing a well received EP, being signed to Double Blind Music and the departure of a member, the band took this turn.
When Sparks the Rescue released their The Secrets We Can’t Keep EP they had a sound that could be somewhat compared to Chiodos. But in late June 2008 the keyboardist Marty parted ways with the band. This had a huge impact on the band’s sound, which can be heard on their debut record.
Usually when bands change their sound, a lot of their original fan base tends to worry. This should not be the case for this album as there is a good mix to go around. For the most part, screams and heavy riffs have been traded in for catchy choruses and pop rock chords.
Eyes To The Sun starts off with the incredibly catchy “My Heart Radio”, which sets the pace for the majority of the album. Followed by “I Swear She’s The One”, which drills itself into your head with an echoed chorus you can’t help but love. “Autumn”, the album’s first single, would be all over the radio if it was promoted better. “Hello Mexico” has become a fan favorite since they started playing it live and it doesn’t disappoint on record. “Skeleton” and “The Gravity” are sort of the crossing of styles. While they still are heavily influenced by the pop hooks, they have a heavier feel to them that is featured on the album’s remaining songs. “Chemistry Set” is where older fans will be pleased, from here on out the record is chunkier and more reminiscent of the old Sparks the Rescue. Next is a re-done “Saco Boy’s Have No Class”, which sounds better then ever. Finally the record closes with “Pangaea,” probably the most mellow track, but it closes the album nicely.
Sparks the Rescue have proved that they can write some of the catchiest songs out there today, but sadly their label doesn’t promote them as much as they should. If they did, you would hear Sparks being mentioned with some of the top bands of the genre. But if they continue to release albums like this, it won’t be long before they have their eyes set on something other then the sun.
Review By AbsolutePunk.net
Artist: Sparks The Rescue
Album: Eyes To The Sun [2009]
Genre: Rock / Pop Punk / Powerpop
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/sparkstherescue
-Track List-
01. My Heart Radio
02. Pine Tree State
03. Autumn
04. Hello Mexico
05. Skeleton
06. We Love Like Vampires
07. Shipwreck
08. I Swear That She’’s The One
09. American Blues
10. The Gravity
11. Chemistry Set
12. Saco Boys Have No Class
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