Nothing gets the old heart ticking like some 80′s peace punk. Christ On Parade hailed out of Cali, and played punk rock in the veins of Millions of Dead Cops. The songs were fast and incorporated a lot of early hardcore, while still remaining incredibly catchy. Definitely check it out.
MP3:
Christ on Parade – Flash
Christ on Parade – Landlord Song
More articles that deserve a damn parade:
Violent Society Haiku
I-Spy
Minor Threat (The Best Band Ian MacKaye was in)
Buy:
Amazon
Wow, I have not listened to NOFX’s “War On Errorism” in years, so it was pretty random that I had quite the urge to listen to it this morning. The first album where NOFX really tackles politics head on (in their own special way of course), WOE has everything you would expect from NOFX. Of course, you probably already own this… so how about showing it some love for the first time in like 5 years?
MP3:
NOFX – We Got Two Jealous Agains
NOFX – American Errorist
More Articles:
SNFU Haiku
The Soviettes LP
NOFX – Punk In Drublic
Buy:
Fat Wreck
Everyone and their grandmother knows about Fugazi, just like everyone and their grandfather knows about Minor Threat… But only your weird ass cousin knows about MacKaye’s in between band, Embrace.
Embrace was very short lived (1985 to 1986), but did create one hell of an album. The music could best be described like the band itself: somewhere between Minor Threat and Fugazi. The songs are nowhere near as heavy as Minor Threat, but definitely more straight forward than anything Fugazi ever put out.
My second favorite band involving Ian MacKaye, definitely check it out.
MP3:
Embrace – Money
Embrace – Dance of Days
Embrace these Housewives articles:
Ian MacKaye’s Best Band
Fugazi vs. Atom and His Package
Buy:
Dischord
Catchy Solid Skate Punk
Completely Shredding Shit Up
I Swore! Won’t Catch Fish!
Wow, just wow. I can’t even begin to state how much Grey Area completely blows me away. Grey Area plays punk rock somewhere between Lifetime and Kid Dynamite, with the songs being fast, melodic and anthematic.
While listening to the album, I couldn’t help but grin the entire time, it’s some of the most solid music I’ve heard in a looooong time. Definitely check Grey Area out!
Also check out:
Grey Area with Bouncing Souls live
The Steal
Kid Dynamite
Higher Giant w/Strike Anywhere and Paint It Black
Buy:
Grey Area
Star Fucking Hipsters have been getting a lot of unfair criticism simply because it is Scott Sturgeon’s (aka. Stza) side project, and ever since he got arrested for uhhh… throwing doughnuts at cops, people have been looking down on all his bands. Love him or hate him, the man makes some solid music, and Star Fucking Hipsters are no exception. With their debut “Until We’re Dead” scheduled for release on September 30th, it’s definitely a solid album you want to pick up.
While Star Fucking Hipsters are probably going to be pinned as “just another crack rock steady band”, their sound is much more dynamic then that family of bands. The songs overall are mid-tempo and anthematic, and are sure as hell catchy.
The lyrical matter is what we’re used to with Scott’s other projects, but they seem much more heartfelt (could be because SFH aren’t out to shock people, unlike his other bands)… well except for “9/11 Was An Inside Joke”. Co-vocalist Nico de Gallo adds another dynamic as well, with her softer, yet still punk as hell vocals complementing Sturg’s.
Oh yeah, and they get maaaaaad props for mixing punk and baroque (as in Bach and Handel) on “Two Cups of Tea”.
MP3:
Star Fucking Hipsters – Two Cups of Tea
Star Fucking Hipsters – Immigrants and Hypocrites
Star Fucking Articles:
Bach: The Godfather of Punk Rock
Morning Glory (For fans of LoC, Choking Victim, INDK)
Bouncing Souls w/Grey Area Live In Philly
No Cash (For fans of Leftover Crack, Choking Victim)
Buy:
Fat Wreck
The Bouncing Souls have always been my favorite band, with their anthems that I carried as my own back when I was an angsty teenager 9 years ago, all the way through now, where I carry their as my own as an angsty adult.
I wound up showing up a little late, but I got in the large, yet intimate Starlight ballroom right when Everybody Out! was finishing up, which is a shame because from what I heard in those 3 minutes was awesome (very Street Dogs / The Business influenced).
Grey Area
I’ve heard nothing but good things about the melodic hardcore band Grey Area, and last night, they proved that all these things said about them are completely true. Playing melodic hardcore somewhere between Lifetime and Kid Dynamite, Grey Area had constant stage dives, pile-ons, and slam dancing going on through the entire set. Although I previously never heard any of their music, I felt like I was a life long fan last night.
Bouncing Souls
Now, I’ve seen the Bouncing Souls well over 10 times, yet before they took the stage, I still got as gleeful as the first time I saw them back in 2003. This was the most intimate atmosphere I’d ever seen them (aka. no barricades in front of the stage), and I was looking forward to see the constant stage dives and raw energy that were completely inevitable.
Keeping true to the (new found) tradition, Bruce Springsteen’s “Born To Run” blasted over the intercom before the Souls took stage… with everyone (ok… me and a few more) singing along (what can I say, I’m a Jersey kid). Jumping straight into “East Coast Fuck You” the Bouncing Souls unleashed the crowd into a complete frenzy. This pretty much continued throughout the entire set, until they got to the acoustic part, where things calmed down a bit. Playing more acoustic songs than usual, the slower paced music actually worked well for the envirornment. Definitely the best Souls show I’ve been to since the first time I ever saw them.
Setlist from what I can remember (not it order):
East Coast Fuck You
Sing Along Forever
Kid
Joe Lies (When He Cries)
Here We Go
Lean on Sheena
Headlights Ditch (acoustic)
Anchors Aweigh (acoustic)
Gone (acoustic)
New Song (sounded pretty solid, stoked to see what they’re gonna release)
Hopeless Romantic
Highway Kings
The Ballad of Johnny X
Kate is Great
The Gold Song
Lay Em Down, Smack Em, Yack Em
True Believers
Private Radio
Kids and Heroes
Night On Earth (acoustic)
MP3:
The Bouncing Souls – Highway Kings
The Bouncing Souls – Headlights Ditch!
Other Housewives Souls Articles:
The Bouncing Souls “Worst” Album
Bouncing Souls Split Series
Battle: Bouncing Souls vs Band of Horses!
Bouncing Souls Home for the Holidays
Bouncing Souls and Lifetime
The songs are sloppy, fast, and sound like they came straight out of 1986 (with much better production). With titles like “The Thrashin of Christ” and “Abusement Park”, you can’t help but laugh along as Municipal Waste brings you on a tour through a desolate city overrun by zombies (the main subject of the album).
Like the zombies they sing about, Municipal Waste resurrected a genre that everyone previously thought was dead, and brought crossover thrash to a whole new generation.
MP3:
Municipal Waste – Blood Drive
Municipal Waste – Unleash The Bastards
More Articles To Thrash Your Face:
Municipal Waste Haiku
D.R.I – The Godfathers of Crossover Thrash
Kids Like Us
Buy:
Earache Records
Punks! Take a break from the revolution for a minute, you’re looking a little too down. Give yourself a good laugh!
4. Mitch Hedburg
Probably the most awkward mofo on stage, Mitch was known for his unconventional joke style (one liners and damn all transition to hell). Brings observational humor to a whole new level.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bESBs3Lg7M]
3. Jim Gaffigan
The only man who can take an entire set and revolve it around food, laziness, and generally being a fat slob… and still be completely hilarious.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTbJf8RDPgs]
2. Bill Hicks
Sadly, Bill is relatively unknown due to his untimely death at age 32, but this man completely revolutionized comedy. Bringing his scathing (sometimes uncontrollable) social commentary to stand up comedy, Hicks influenced many, including George Carlin, Lewis Black, and Dennis Leary (who some actually said stole Bill’s act.)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrZcztxRquo]
1. George Carlin
Hands down the master of comedy.
Holy crap, the reason I haven’t posted on these guys is because I seriously thought I did already, like a year ago. Joke’s on me!
Possibly the most energetic and positive band to hail from the UK, The Steal plays punk rock/melodic hardcore in the veins of Kid Dynamite and 7 Seconds. Many bands will try to carry the torch of their predecessors, but The Steal sprints with the damned thing.
The Steal manages to make the songs positive and meaningful without taking themselves too seriously, something that 90% of punk bands should be taking notes on. Definitely give it a listen, and if they ever are near you live (I’m talking to you “God Save The Queen-ers”) go check them out.
MP3:
The Steal – New Friend
The Steal – Wonderstuff
More Kickass Articles That Will Prepare You For The Revolution:
New Mexican Disaster Squad Breaks Up!
Static Radio NJ
Kid Dynamite and The Art of Moshing Everywhere
Good Clean Fun Haiku
Paint It Black – New Lexicon
Buy:
The Steal
