AMP MUSIC REVIEWS REVIEWERS: (RK) RAMSEY KANAAN, (STM) SAMMY THE MICK, (JC) JIMI CHEETAH, (RVH) RAY VAN HORN JR, (TS) TRISTAN STADDON, (MWB) MATT “WINDBREAKER” COTE, (MR) MIKE RODRIGUEZ, (NN) NICK NORTON, (WMJ) WILLIAM JONES, (JBM) JOHN MOORE, (JCC) JEN CONRAD, (JK) JIM KAZ, JOHN JOH (JJ) 4 FT. FINGERS click. There is a constant rush of style on CITY AND COLOUR New Beginnings of Old Stories CD the EP, but the lyrics seem more flash than Bring Me Your Love CD Awful band name and an album cover substance, and the tracks lack an overall feeling CITY AND COLOUR is ALEXISONFIRE’s singer that appears like a knock-off of LARS of cohesion. A lot of variation is present, but Dallas Green’s solo side project; just Green FREDERIKSEN & THE BASTARDS...but hold that just makes it feel more like a band unsure and his guitar. His voice is near flawless, sure on... the music contained therein is actually of itself. THE BANGKOK FIVE tries to please too to impress any listener upon the first few pretty good if a bit manufactured sounding. many crowds while remaining hipsters through seconds of hearing it. There is a slight subtlety Hailing from Cheltenham 4 FT. FINGERS play and through, and the sophomore effort fails as in Green’s voice that seems to make it allergic an extremely poppy brand of “street-ish” punk. a result. (WMJ) to annoyance, and above all, packed with All the instruments are played with very solid (Long Live Crime Records/www. honesty. He seems extremely trapped and technique and they come through clearly in the longlivecrimerecords.com) without answers. In the track ‘Constant Knot’, mix. At times the singer reminds me of a milder Green sings on how he wishes he “could just Olaf from Germany’s STAGE BOTTLES. My BLASÉ DEBRIS disappear and run away from all of [his] fears.” favorite song was ‘Save Your Soul Tonight’ with Morfiend CD The want to abandon everything is not the only it’s very catchy chorus that sounded a bit like a Their first album Creep Cool may have been a self-deprecating constraint that grips Green. little MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE mixed with a favorite among the horror punk crowd, but with Alas, it appears that Green’s main enigma is little MEN AT WORK but played by fans of punk their follow-up Morfiend BLASÉ DEBRIS have sleep. He passionately sings about how he can’t (I know, it sounds terrible, but isn’t). There is gotten leaner and meaner. The guitar is front help but lie awake at night; a reoccurring theme one horribly anomalous track that sounded like and center, sounding like some unholy alliance on the album that truly captures the alienation the bastard child of THE TOSSERS and DEXY’S between MOTÖRHEAD and THE DAMNED, that Green is dealing with during the entire MIDNIGHT RUNNERS. My only other complaint and the track ‘Flat Black Sunshine’ could easily album. Green spends the majority of the album is that the album might be a bit over-produced be mistaken for a long lost WHITE ZOMBIE with an existential outlook on life, declaring with too much polish and too little bite. Judge song. Still, devil locked fiends have little to fear that “we’re all just waiting to die” on the track for yourself. (RK) besides themselves in the mirror, since BLASÉ ‘Waiting...’ Bring Me Your Love is an elegant, (Not On Your Radio Records/www. still deliver the horror punk goods on furious brutally honest depiction of an alienated artist on notonyourradio.com) cuts like ‘Vampira Sirens’ and ‘From Dusk Til a soap box reminding us that we are not alone Dawn’. Catch them this summer on the Warped in our feelings of alienation. (A. Scozia) A THOUSAND TIMES REPENT Tour, where they’ll attempt to make every day (Vagrant Records/www.vagrant.com) Virtue Has Few Friends CD EP Halloween (in the sunlight no less!). (Danielle Six songs of inspired new/nu metal/metalcore Torrence) THE CUTE LEPERS from this band out of Atlanta. I say “nu metal” (Altercation Records/www.altercationrecords. Can’t Stand Modern Music CD because often times the riffs, rather than com) Fucking great album title and a great album being built of chugging power chords, are to go with that title! Started as a side project based upon repeated fretboard hammer- CALIFORNIA LOVE by Steve E. Nix from THE BRIEFS, THE CUTE on/pull-off sequences. Lots of dissonant Reaping the Whirlwind CD LEPERS scored big by getting this released on intervals used to fill the space (similar to Pissed off metallic grindcore (Is there even the top-notch Blackheart Records label run by NORMA JEAN) in and around complex such a thing as “happy grindcore”?) on this Joan Jett and Kenny Laguna. The disc sounds rhythms. Scream-y vocals that get a bit emo here self-released CD. Hailing from Oakland, great. The band definitely has that bouncy, at times with a couple songs having slower CALIFORNIA LOVE features Brian from LOOK poppy British style similar to THE REZILLOS, quiet melodic breaks (one reminded me of BACK AND LAUGH and DEAD AND GONE BUZZCOCKS, BOYS (or for a more current point OPETH, the other was more like MUSE or on guitar (not bass this time). Ten songs of reference think THE EXPLODING HEARTS, someone). It looks like the band has three of disgruntled misanthropy with a sound in BRIEFS, FM KNIVES). Crisp, tight playing, guitarists and they put them to good use with the vein of NAPALM strong vocals, some intricate lines and nice arpeggios. Solid DEATH, ASSUCK, etc. and a snappy rhythm section with strong drumming. The You know, “Grindcore” production help final track is a ballad which kinda reminded with a little bit more these catchy 2 1/2 me of something MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE riff-based songs and minute gems jump might do. This band would fit in well on the a metallic edge. I think to life. Stylistically Facedown label. (RK) Chris Dodge from Slap- there are a few (Tribunal Records/www.tribunalrecords.net) A-Ham Records would interesting things love these guys. (RK) mixed in (some BALLPOINT (self-released CD/ slower songs, Get Loose CD www.myspace.com/ slide guitar on one A disc chock-full of up-tempo melodic punk cantwastedeath) track, etc.) while courtesy of this Tasmanian band. Lots of Fat still maintaining an Wreck Chords influences here. A little NOFX, CONFEDERACY OF overall coherent early PROPAGANDHI and their fellow Land- HORSEPOWER feel to the album. Down-Under-ers FRENZAL RHOMB, plus Vagabond Cabaret CD There is only one sometimes a sound somewhere along the First off, not a fan of the song that doesn’t lines of JIMMY EAT WORLD. The band is really look. The cover is just a work for me on tight and most of the songs are pretty catchy. shot of the dudes, and this disc, but the BALLPOINT’s songs range from the light- they look pretty awful. brilliance of ‘Cool hearted (‘Beer Song’ and ‘Dirty Mrs. Johnson’) One dude looks all pop punk, one looks all City’, ‘Modern Pests’ and the rest make it a to more serious subjects like the war in Iraq MARILYN MANSON, one looks like he’s from minor aberration that is quickly forgotten in this (‘Juba’) and racist nationalism in ‘Riots and MÖTLEY CRÜE, and yet another looks like he’s ace of an album. Highly recommended. (RK) Wrongs’. An all around quality release. (RK) a huge fan of GOOD CHARLOTTE. Basically, (Blackheart Records/www.blackheart.com) (Disconnect Records/www.disconnectrecords. I’m just sick of the bullshit fashion crap taking com) more attention than the music. Now, on to DESTROY EVERYTHING the music – it ain’t bad. It’s a lot better than Freedom of Speech Means Talk is Cheap CD THE BANGKOK FIVE I had expected, judging by the cover. Dirty, When this album started off it had me singing We Love What Kills Us CD gritty, scummy punk rock and roll at it best. If along to its’ great opener ‘True Believer’ within We Love What Kills Us is a spotted effort, you’re into MOTÖRHEAD, GUNS N’ ROSES, a minute. This Chicago area band has a really though interesting. On ‘Straight Fell Off’, Frost TURBONEGRO, and the rest of that kinda stuff, good 77 style punk meets NOFX sound - catchy delivers smooth vocals reminiscent of THE this is right up your alley. This shit’s so dirty hooks that pull you in but still snotty enough to LIVING END’s Chris Cheney, while on the title you might need to shower after. It’s that nasty. keep things rough. The vocals remind me a track, he goes from horror rock to screamo (MWB) bit of Joey Vindictive meets THE SIGN OFFS. rock n’ roll within 20 seconds and it just doesn’t (www.myspace.com/blastzoneentgroup) Intelligent, often witty, well-written lyrics make 129 MUSIC REVIEWS the good songs even better. Check out ‘The There are some decent songs on here but known by many outside their turf yet, the group Kids Are All Liars’ and ‘Alter or Abolish’ for many sound as if they were being performed by is a full length record away from launching a an example. Nice artwork on the packaging Bonnie Raitt or someone. Not bad, but way too brilliant career. (JBM) appropriating symbols from U.S. currency middle-aged or FM radio for me. (RK) (www.thedevillesrnr.com) and taking the piss out of these “Great Seals”. (Bloodshot Records www.bloodshotrecords.