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Sum 41 – We’re All To Blame

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When this CD came through the post I was really looking forward to listening to it and got it in to the player as fast as I could. The reason for this is that I had heard a track on the Rock Against Bush compilation and been really impressed with what I had heard so was hotly anticipating this track. I have to say I was definitely not disappointed when this track kicked off – you are thrown straight in at the deep end with a heavy opening guitar riff showing that the bands Pop Punk days are now in the quite distant past. Sum 41 are no longer a Pop Punk band for the Under 14s to enjoy – they are a much more mature band these days producing some top notch material.

‘We’re All To Blame’ is by far the greatest Sum 41 track I have ever heard with its awesome metallic guitar riffs, strong drumming, blinding bass lines, and excitable vocals. Derek is definitely a talented vocalist and I think that it is on the bands heavier tracks that this talent really shines through so on this track his voice sounds totally amazing. This track has a superb chorus that will stick in your mind and you will be singing along to it as you walk about for the rest of the week. Never before have the band produced a song quite as exciting as this one – it is a truly energetic, catchy little number that is far heavier than their earlier material and they are sounding a hell of a lot better for it.

This single has been taken from their forthcoming album ‘Chuck,’ and if this is anything to go by then this album will definitely be the bands greatest album thus far and most certainly the heaviest. The band have definitely matured and come of age since they emerged on the scene with ‘Fat Lip’ a few years back and they have most certainly changed for the better with their newfound heavy material.

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Shuriken – Evacuate / Disintegrate

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Ok, I was really looking forward to listening to this CD but the first time I listened to it I was really quite disappointed. Having been impressed with all of the bands previous material and the way that they have slowly but surely progressed I thought this would be a blinder and I would instantly be hooked! It really did take me a while to get into this CD but after a few weeks hard listening I am really in to this CD now and think it is a quality effort from a band that will surely go far.

You can definitely hear the early Saves The Day influence on this band, but they are individual enough to make them great in their own right and you can really appreciate that this band have slowly evolved into the superb band we see before us today. This CD has very professional artwork to go with a superb quality recording of excellent production that should see them go straight to the top of the scene. No longer are the band using their early Lego style designs – not only has their music matured but their professionalism in CD covers also. This is a mighty fine EP with 6 strong tracks that will most certainly put a smile on your face with their post hardcore greatness. Shuriken are a band who create fun music that is great to dance to and when listening to their CDs you can just imagine them being an extremely energetic and extravagant live band that send everyone home from their gigs with a huge smile on their face.

Opening track ‘The 18th Emergency’ is probably the highlight of the CD for me with its fun punk attitude, great lyrics, and fun vocal style. It has some truly amazing guitar riffs as well – the kind of guitar riffs that make you want to go out and purchase a guitar so you can play them yourself! The acoustic version of ‘Arch Nemesis’ was also a bit of a highlight for me as I had been very pleased with the track on their single, so hearing it again brought back great memories of this amazing track and summers gone by. It really is an awesome track and I like what the band have done with it on this EP. The fact it is acoustic definitely takes nothing away from the track – in fact I think it adds character to the song and makes it all the more enjoyable to listen to.

If you have heard previous material of the band and have been impressed then I strongly suggest that you check out this new CD as it is really something special. This band have come a long way since their early material and although I have loved everything that the band have done in the past, I love this EP a hell of a lot more and feel that the band have come on in leaps and bounds since their early recordings. This EP is definitely something to get excited about and is a vital CD for your collection – you can rest assured that this will be played many a time in the future. Do yourself a favour and buy this CD today – I promise you won’t be disappointed with what you hear!

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Saves The Day – Ups and Downs

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Ups and Downs is a collection of early recordings and B-sides from the band that wont be found on any of their albums. It shows that the band have always been producing quality Pop Punk that could easily have made the band huge if it was released today.

There are some strong guitar riffs on display here, fast drum beats, awesome bass lines and truly inspirational vocals. You really have to love this CD as although at first sight it may just look like a collection of tracks that weren’t good enough to make it onto their albums, when you listen to it you will realise that it is far more than this as it is exciting music that you can really enjoy. It is not all just B-sides and early recordings – on this CD the band also showcase some covers such as The Clash’s ‘Clash City Rockers’ and The Descendents classic, ‘Cheer,’ as well as a live version of ‘Jessie And My Whetstone’ This live track was a great way to end the CD as it is a really powerful track and shows that the band can truly rock hard at their live shows and have a hell of a lot of passion for what they do.

When listening to this CD you begin to realise that with Saves The Day they are creating music because they enjoy doing so and it truly makes them happy to be making the music that they do. Their music is strongly passionate and you can really tell that they mean it. This CD is definitely worth investing in as it gives you a good insight into the band were like in years gone by and how they finally got to where they are today. Musically the band have changed a lot over the years – some might say for the better or some might say for the worse. Whatever way you want to look at it there is no denying that whatever genre of music the band are doing they play it with passion and do the genre proud. This album is well worth checking out – not for nostalgia purposes, but for the fact that it is really quite an impressive album that shows great depth and pays great attention to detail.

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Hurricane Party – Get This EP

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I swear that this band are going to be huge – Hurricane Party create rock ‘n roll and really do mean business. They are definitely a REAL rock band with tunes that when you listen to them you can just picture yourself as a trucker driving down the freeway rocking out to these tunes. They are fun feel good tunes that will make you get your air guitar out and turn your invisible amp up to the max.

I think there are definitely two singles that could be taken from this EP and gain chart success. These two tunes are the classics ‘Roadstar’ and ‘Big Rock Show.’ These two tracks really do capture the spirit of rock ‘n roll and if you didn’t know better you would have sworn that these tunes had just come straight out of the 80s. You can definitely hear the Zepellin and AC/DC influence in the bands music and this is truly not a bad thing. Hurricane Party really do make some fine tunes that really radiate the bands lust for life with strong tracks that ooze in personality and show that this is a truly talented Rock band that can produce stunning music.

The band have already played shows with the likes of Nickelback, Skid Row, Hanoi Rocks, and Status Quo. I am sure that in most of these cases the band out performed the bands they were supporting as they truly are a fine young talent with a definite love of the music which they create. I can see great things coming of this band in the not too distant future as if a band like The Darkness can become popular then a band with this much talent should have no problem at all working their way to the top. This EP will be released on the 18th of October so make sure that when it comes out you rush out to your nearest record store and purchase this CD as it really is worth your money and you will definitely not be disappointed.

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Rehasher – Off Key Melodies

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On first listen to this album it’s hard to treat it as a different band as Less Than Jake as the first thing that comes to mind is that Rehasher are Less Than Jake but with the horns taken away. This is definitely not the case though – as you listen to it more you begin to release that the band are much more than that sand are very different indeed to Less Than Jake. Rehasher play Punk Rock stripped down to its rawest possible form and come out smelling of roses. This is definitely a very strong album and even though it is only 24 minutes long – there is plenty to keep you entertained.

If you are a fan of bands like NoFX then the chances are that you are going to love Rehasher as they definitely have that kind of feel about their music. It is raw, fun, and the perfect kind of music to skate to. The band seem to have so much energy – it is truly unbelievable and a joy to listen to as they hurtle through their tracks with a hell of a lot of style, flair, and attitude. You just can’t help but enjoy listening to this band – fun and enjoyment seems to radiate from their music and will have you in party spirit in no time at all.

The CD comes to an impressive end with the bands cover of ‘Suffragette City.’ In true Rehasher spirit the band speed through this track with immense passion and you can really feel that they believe in what they are singing about. They are definitely a band who take music seriously and are doing it because they love it, not to make a few quid out of it. This track absolutely oozes excitement, and every single second of this track is action packed with never a dull moment. In fact, every track on this CD has the same level of high spirit – but this track just really does it for me as when it finishes you are expecting another track to come as bands usually finish with a slow paced track. Definitely not Rehasher – they end the CD in the only way they know how, with a fast paced, exciting Punk Rock track of true greatness.

If you see this CD in the shops then make sure you buy it as even though it is extremely short – it will not leave you disappointed. You seem to forget about how short this album is because its just so great that you don’t really think about the time that has passed while you’re listening to the album, all you think about is how great it is. This may only be a side project band for the Less Than Jake singer but it is certainly no joke of a band – Rehasher are definitely serious and know just how to rock.

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Ran.For.Days – Consequence Of Arguments EP

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With this EP, Maidstone band Ran.For.Days have a good crack at the whole Post Hardcore thing with their heartfelt melodies, and strong guitar riffs. I am not really the greatest fan of Post Hardcore as there are a lot of bands around in the genre that sound exactly the same. I think that Ran.For.Days definitely have a good thing going however, and manage to steer well clear of being a monotonous sound alike band.

I have not heard much from this band before despite living in the same town as them but my first experience of them has definitely been a positive one. This band have a hell of a lot of energy and I think that this really comes across in their music as they soar through their tracks with great passion and enthusiasm. This EP displays that the band have some cracking guitar riffs, some slick bass lines, strong drum beats, and great powerful vocal abilities that are truly unique and are what make the band that extra bit special. The bands vocals are definitely where they manage to shine and show that they are unique and unlike any other band out there. The vocalist here definitely believes in what he is singing about and this can often be the problem with Post Hardcore I find – you just can’t believe that what they are singing about actually has any meaning to them a lot of the time.

There are three good tracks on display here that show that the band love what they are doing and play their instruments with a distinct passion. You can’t help but find a place in your heart for this EP – even if like me, you are not generally a fan of Post Hardcore. There is definitely a lot more to come from this band and the next 6 months or so should see the band developing into one of the scenes top dogs. They definitely have something special going here and the potential to be great is almost certainly there.

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The Finn Brothers – Everyone Is Here

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I really don’t think that I am the intended audience for this release to be honest – while listening to this I just couldn’t help thinking that it might not even be suitable for my parents. With its sentimental and somewhat cheesy lyrics you just can’t help but cringe for the majority of the CD.

The album is well written and Neil and Tim obviously are obviously very musically talented – I just don’t think that their intention was for the CD to fall into the hands of people like me. This album is definitely for more of a mature listener that can appreciate the sentimentality of the album and fully appreciate it.

This is certainly not a bad album and there are some positive aspects to come from it – they most certainly write some good, strong guitar music but I just don’t think that it’s for me. Their music just doesn’t do it for me and that’s a shame as I can tell that they do have a talent for what they do – I just can’t seem to appreciate it. The music that The Finn Brothers play is very mellow, chilled out, and relaxed – and would probably make great music to come home to after a hard day at work and sit down listening to it as you read through the paper.

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Fonzie – Gotta Get Away

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When you look at the cover of this single, you will think that the band is nothing but another pretty boy, Good Charlotte type band. On the basis of the sound of this single alone you might also come to this conclusion as the song is an upbeat poppy punk anthem. However, having listened to the album I can honestly say that not all of the bands tracks are like this and they also have a lot of much heavier tunes proving that they are talented musicians. This is a great breakthrough track as it is quite light hearted, and easy to listen to and would definitely have a mass appeal due to its radio friendly sound.

This Fonzie track is very well polished and shows that they can produce Pop Punk of the same standard as the greats. There is definitely a hint of Billie Joe Armstrong in the bands nasally vocals, and I think that this really works well for them. They are enough like Green Day to gain interest from their fans, yet original enough to be popular in their own right. Fonzie are a band that should be amazingly successful as they have driving guitar riffs, some amazing drum beats, and vocals that are perfectly produced to create an all round amazing sound.

The band definitely have a lot of talent and with their album I am sure that they will acquire a huge fan base as the music is Punk enough to attract hardened Punk Rock fans, yet also has incredible pop sensibilities which should allow the band to gain mass appeal and make ‘Fonzie’ one of the worlds best known Pop Punk bands. This track is nothing new or inspirational, but it is catchy and will encourage people to check out the bands full length which does contain some original and exciting tunes.

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Fony – Wishlist End

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Things seem to have been quite quiet at camp Fony of late, but the band now return in style with the awesome new single ‘Wishlist End’ and the amazing B-Sides ‘January Zen,’ and ‘Chore Again’ which wind the single off nicely providing us with an awesomely laid out three track. I have always been a fan of Fony, so it was great to have this little baby drop on my doormat and really put a huge smile on my face.

Fony never fail to please and entertain with their fast paced, belting guitar riffs, smoothly placed vocals, fiery bass lines, and incredible drum beats. The A-Side here is no exception to this, but I feel that it is a bit more slow paced and melodic than the band usually go for – but the track really works well alongside the B-Sides as they really seem to compliment it and bring out the best in ‘Wishlist End.’ The more you listen to the track, the more you seem to appreciate its brilliance – it is an intelligently written, well thought out track and I am sure that this is a blinder at the bands live shows. Fony are not exactly returning with a bang, but they are most certainly returning in style and with a definite passion.

It is great to hear ‘Chore Again’ as a B-Side on this single as it really is a blinder of a track and shows the band at their finest. In some ways I feel that this track is a stronger one than ‘Wishlist End’ as it is much more powerful, and is very guitar driven – but ‘Wishlist End’ is much more intelligently written, and in the field of mediocre Emo tracks that are around at the moment it will surely tower above them all.

There’s plenty more to come from this band yet – I can just feel that they are far from over and have a lot left to offer. The band will be touring throughout November – if you get a chance to see them then make sure you do as you will definitely not regret it.

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Flogging Molly – Within A Mile From Home

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You have to love this band – anyone that can combine Punk Rock with traditional Irish folk music and come out smelling of roses has to have a great talent. This album will be released on September 27th and I believe that it will have mass appeal due to its amazing blend of Irish folk and punk rock.

While listening to this album you can’t help but dance as the band belt their way through every single track at a million miles an hour. The music that Flogging Molly produce is absolutely infectious and will have you singing along for weeks – a truly inspirational, exciting, and fun album that will be entering your CD player at parties for years to come. There are 15 amazing tracks on this album and not a single one of them fails to impress. The fact that the band have mandolin, accordion, fiddle, and whistle really make them truly original and all the more fun to listen to. You will be left wanting more after this album comes to an end as it is just so enjoyable! I think you really have to listen to the album in its entirety to fully appreciate this masterpiece as to take a track out singularly and listen to it on its own would be an injustice to the band and the hard work that they have obviously put in to making this album flow. Obviously all the tracks are good in their own right and every single one of these tracks could easily be a number 1, but I feel that as an album is where they all truly shine.

Flogging Molly in ‘Within A Mile From Home’ have created a perfect album that you can easily sit there for an hour listening to without doing anything else at the same time as their music alone is enough to keep you fully entertained. There is just so much to gain from this album and take in – on first listen you will not be able to take everything in and no matter how many times you listen to it you will find yourself noticing something you had missed on previous listens and continually be impressed and exposed to new and exciting things. This is the perfect album to get drunk to, but would also be a great one to listen to in a time of unhappiness as it contains a perfect track list to raise your spirits and cheer you right back up again.

This is most certainly one of the best and probably most inspirational Punk Rock bands around at the moment, if not of all time. Every track just seems to sound absolutely perfect and as an album this truly is a fine piece of art. I think that Flogging Molly are one of those bands that occupy a special place in everyone’s heart with their fun, enthusiastic, Irish Folk fuelled Punk Rock music.

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