Archive for pop punk

The Queers, Teenage Bottlerocket Live In Philly (2/28/13)

/ March 1, 2013 / No comments

I’ve been waiting for this day for months.  Teenage Bottlerocket and The Queers followed by Philly’s premiere 70s punk/rock and roll party guitar army?  Count me the FUCK in.

I headed out to a sold out Barbary and thanks to lovely Philly traffic missed the majority of the openers Masked Intruders set, but from the little bit I heard, I definitely need to check these masked dudes out.  Solid pop-punk.

Teenage Bottlerocket

I’ve said it many times before on this site and I’ll say it again, Wyoming punks Teenage Bottlerocket are my favorite as far as modern pop-punk goes, and was actually my first post ever on this site back in 2007.  I was lucky enough to catch them at The Barbary last August and the fact they came back so soon was just an added bonus.

The band took the stage to a chainsaw wielding masked man with a TBR sign saying “Freak Out”, and blasted straight into the song.  The crowd sung along every word, and they barely let up their Ramones influenced punk rock.  Playing songs from most of their albums with a heavy focus on their latest Freak Out, the band experienced some on stage difficulties when a guitar cut out, but in true punk rock fashion decided “fuck it” and powered through the set (which didn’t deter us fans at all, who kept shouting along every word and getting a small pit going).

They took the time to give a shoutout/lovingly mock their Wyoming punk scene, saying that DC has enough documentaries, and it’s time to have one on the two bands that play in Wyoming.  One thing I have to say about TBR is that they look like they are legitimately having a blast on stage every time I see them, and not just running through the motions.  That alone is is one of the key components to a good show.

Setlist (From what I remember, pretty complete, not in order)

Freak Out
Headbanger
Cruising For Chicks
Necrocomicon
Maverick
Punk House Of Horror
Mutilate Me
Who Killed Sensei
Skate Or Die
Bigger Than Kiss
Fatso Goes Nutzoid
Stupid Games
Crashing
Bloodbath At Burger King
Bottlerocket
In The Basement
Welcome To The Nuthouse
New Song
Lillington High

The Queers:

The Queers have been around since before a lot of you were even born, and have become one of the most well-known names in pop-punk.  Irreverent, crude, and catchy as all fuck, The Queers definitely tore down The Barbary.

One thing I liked about The Queers was the vast age difference in their fans.  You had some 40 year old dudes there who’ve been listening to them since the 80s and plenty of young-ins who got into their later works.

There was a pretty dedicated pit throughout their set, and while I don’t know all of their albums (believe me, they have a lot), the crowd was singing along, dancing, and crowd surfing throughout their set.

I never got a chance to see them before, so it was good to finally see these New Hampshire punks.

Highlights:
No Tits
Born To Do Dishes
Hi Mom, It’s Me
This Place Sucks
Punk Rock Girls
White Minority (Black Flag Cover)
Teenage Bonehead (I think)
Outta My Skull (I think)
Sheena Is A Punk Rocker (Ramones Cover)

MP3:
The Queers – Little Rich Working Class Oi Boi
Teenage Bottlerocket – Be Stag

I Gotta Strangle That Girl:
The Queers – Beyond The Valley…
Teenage Bottlerocket – Freak Out!
Teenage Bottletrocket – They Came From The Shadows
Teenage Bottlerocket – Another Way

Buy:
The Queers

Teenage Bottlerocket

Category: live, music, pop punk, punk, show / Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Top 10 Of 2012

/ January 5, 2013 / No comments

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, non-gender identifying people:  the moment you’ve all been waiting for since the moment you were born.  I present to you the Battle Of The Midwestern Housewives top 10 releases of 2012!

Obviously I didn’t get a chance to check everything out that I wanted to (Classics of Love, Hot Water Music’s new album, etc) and I ALWAYS wind up leaving something off the list that should have made it (like Punch’s Nothing Lasts EP would definitely be my #1 of 2011… ah well). In addition, I was saddened that some of my favorite bands didn’t make the cut with their latest (Bouncing Souls, Ceremony), and as good as that new Kesha song is, I spared you all.

10. Morning Glory – Poets Were My Heroes

If we’re going to be totally honest, I wasn’t expecting too much from the latest Morning Glory release.  Sure, I like Ezra’s (Leftover Crack, Choking Victim) project enough, but I thought everything with crack rock steady has been said and done already.  Boy was I surprised to hear strings, pianos, and all sorts of instrumentation on this album.  Clean production, poppy melodies, and punk rock snarl make Poets Were My Heroes one incredibly surprising listen.

Morning Glory – Shelter From The Spoon

9. Municipal Waste – The Fatal Feast

These Richmond crossover thrash kings have exploded over recent years, and I am happy to say that The Fatal Feast was a return to their aggressive, party fest sound that seemed to be missing from their lackluster Massive Aggressive.  Music to break stuff to.

Municipal Waste – Unholy Abductor

8. NOFX – Self Entitled (review coming still)

NOFX have been doing this punk thing for quite some time (30 years now) and they found the formula that works for them.  Some people say that they just release the same album over and over, but you know what?  I like that fucking album.  Sure, you won’t find anything too original here, but that’s what makes it so refreshing in a year that my favorite bands decided to try something new.

NOFX – She Didn’t Lose Her Baby

7. OFF! – OFF!

Keith Morris (Black Flag/Circle Jerks) is 57 years old with diabetes, and still rocks harder than a strong majority of bands who’s just a fraction of his age. With 16 songs in 15 minutes and aggressive punk rock without any of the frills, you’d think that this was actually recorded in the 80s.

OFF – I Got News For You

6. Best Practices – The EP LP

I don’t know much about the band except for the fact that this release completely kills it. Just like your mom, Best Practices takes a bunch of ingredients, throws it in a blender, and makes a much more delicious smoothie than anyone else who even tries.  Noisy, garage, melodic punk rock that you need to hear.

Best Practices – Future Cougar

5. Ghostlimb – Confluence (review coming still)

Even though I listen to member’s other bands (Graf Orlock, Dangers), I just discovered Ghostlimb this year, and holy shit am I glad I did.  Playing the most melodic hardcore, borderline grindcore imaginable, Ghostlimb turns up the aggression a notch on Confluence to make everything else you listen to just seem so passive.  If you dig Tragedy at all, check this one out.

Ghostlimb – Southeast First

4. Hold Tight/Direct Hit Split


It seems like pop-punk and hardcore have always been closely related, and nothing seems to prove this more than two pop-punk bands joining forces to release one fuck of a release.  Both bands were pretty active in 2012, but I have to admit, this is easily my favorite of any of their releases of the year.  Quick to the point hardcore.

Hold Tight – Always

3. Static Radio NJ – We Are All Beasts

Static Radio NJ is one of those very few bands that I’ve been listening to since the start, and have seen evolve, and actually LIKE their new sound.  Starting off as a straight up hardcore band, Static Radio evolved to playing more Lifetime-esque melodies.  Unfortunately the band called it quits this year, but that shouldn’t stop you from checking out their latest (and last).

Static Radio NJ – I Might Kill

2. Bomb The Music Industry – Vacation

When I first listened to BTMI’s Vacation, I hated it.  It was a complete departure from the ska-punk I know and love from the Brooklynites, but after a friend encouraged me to give it another chance, I completely fell in love.  They slowed it down a bit, and bust out some of the most heartfelt songs we’ve ever heard from them.

Bomb The Music Industry – Sick, Later

1. Propagandhi – Failed States

Propagandhi can do no wrong (well, except for Potemkin City Limits… I didn’t like that album).  The once skate punk now thrash champions return with some of the most aggressive, hard hitting music they’ve ever released… and it’s good… real good.

Propagandhi – Failed States

BONUS:

Just for the fuck of things, here’s a list of my favorite 5 shows I’ve been to in 2012:

5. Cock Sparrer, Street Dogs, Paint It Black @ Union Transfer
4. American Nightmare (Give Up The Ghost) @ Webster Hall
3. Propagandhi, Comeback Kid, One Win Choice @ Union Transfer
2. Guttermouth, The Scandals, Tonight We Strike @ The Fire
1. Grey Area @ The Fire (1/28/12)

More End Of Year Lists:
Top 10 Of 2011
The Top 11 Albums of 2010
The 10 Best Albums of 2009
Best Of 2008
Best Of 2007

Category: grindcore, hardcore, music, pop punk, punk, ska, thrash, Uncategorized / Tags: , , , ,

Hold Tight – Blizzard Of 96 (For fans of Latterman, Title Fight, Lifetime)

/ October 25, 2012 / No comments

I remember the first time I saw Richmond pop-punkers Hold Tight.  I went to a house show here in Philly and they were playing with one of my favorite local hardcore bands Lighten Up (RIP).  I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was completely blown away by their feel good pop-punk, and I picked up their debut Can’t Take This Away, and it was love at first listen.  Two EPs and a split later, they recently released their second LP Blizzard Of 96.

While their past few EPs experimented with hardcore (which I love by the way), Blizzard Of 96 is a bit of a return to the pop-punk we heard on their debut.  With 14 incredibly catchy anthems about growing up and moving on, Blizzard is a lot moodier than their past releases, yet so melodic this time around that it’s sure to bring on a fuck ton of sing-a-longs.  Shit, I am writing this on a plane, and I really have to stop myself from shouting along and not creep out the people next to me.

If you like pop-punk, I highly recommend you check this one out.  Hold Tight is easily one of my favorite pop-punk bands. Oh, and check out Call The Zoo by them, easily my favorite.

MP3:
Hold Tight – Graduation Day

I Never Remember That Nothing Lasts Forever:
Hold Tight – Can’t Take This Away
Hold Tight – Call The Zoo
Hold Tight/Direct Hit Split (Hardcore)

Buy:
Hold Tight

Category: emo, music, pop punk / Tags: , , , ,

Weston – Got Beat Up (For fans of Latterman, Sunny Day Real Estate, Weezer)

/ October 3, 2012 / One comment


There seems to be a huge revival of melodic pop punk bordering on emo going on right now… you know, with bands like Title Fight and Latterman selling out reunion shows.  I don’t know where this came from, but I do know that one of the earliest and most influential bands and albums of this genre is constantly getting overlooked.  Weston’s Got Beat Up is a one of the most underrated gems in pop punk history.

Weston formed back in 1990 in Bethlahem, PA.  While the band broke up in 2001, the breakup was short lived as they reformed in 2006.  Releasing their 2nd album Got Beat Up in 1996, I think it’s one of the catchiest pop punk/emo albums around.   Whether it’s the energetic sing a long “No Kind Of Superstar” or the Sunny Day Real Estate-esque “Your Summer Dress”, Weston’s Got Beat Up is a solid listen through the entire 13 track 33 minute album.

Incredibly nostalgic, if you dig pop punk or old school emo at all, you definitely need to check out these unsung heroes.

MP3:
Weston – No Kind Of Superstar

More:
Teenage Bottlerocket – Another Way
Saves The Day – Can’t Slow Down
Hold Tight! – Can’t Take This Away

Buy:
Go Kart Records

Category: emo, music, pop punk / Tags: , , , ,

Teenage Bottlerocket – Freak Out (For fans of The Copyrights, The Ramones, Screeching Weasel)

/ July 26, 2012 / No comments


I remember when I first heard Teenage Bottlerocket’s Total back in 2005.  I was skating and had it in my headphones, completely blown away by the Ramones influenced pop-punk with clever songs about girls, the radio, and going postal at work.  I was so impressed, I made my girlfriend at the time listen to it (who wasn’t a fan of punk… but still has seen Bigwig more than me, fucking figures) and even she loved it.  Seven years later, Wyoming’s Teenage Bottlerocket return with their 5th studio album Freak Out, and it’s the perfect blend of humor, pop-punk, and of course… girls.

The beginning of the album plays a more aggressive style of pop-punk that we heard flashes of on their 2009 They Came From The Shadows, with songs about metalhead concussions, cruising for chicks, and Top Gun.  I hate to be that guy who draws comparisons to previous bands, but the beginning of the album has a very Lillingtons feel to it.

The album switches gears a little ways in though, with incredibly catchy and melodic pop-punk love songs that we’re used to from Teenage Bottlerocket. From the mandatory frustrated “Done With Love”, and the ultimate friend zone song “Never Gonna Tell You”, Freak Out makes for the perfect summer album.

If you like light hearted pop-punk that takes more cues from The Ramones and Screeching Weasel than anything that passes for pop-punk on the radio these days, definitely check Teenage Bottlerocket.  They’ve been a favorite of mine for a long time now.

*Fun Housewives fact:  My first post ever was on Teenage Bottlerocket, back in 2007.

Mp3:
Teenage Bottlerocket – Done With Love

More:
Teenage Bottletrocket – They Came From The Shadows
Teenage Bottlerocket – Another Way
Mean Jeans – Are You Serious
The Lillingtons – Too Late Show

Buy:
Fat Wreck

Category: music, pop punk, punk / Tags: , , , ,

The Copyrights, The Dopamines, Mean Jeans Live In Philly (6/24/12)

/ June 25, 2012 / No comments

After being in the sun all day at a super last minute Phillies game (don’t care about the Phillies, hoped to see Tampa Bay lose), I headed out to Philly’s Barbary to catch one hell of a pop-punk lineup.  I would have went for The Copyrights or Mean Jeans alone, but having them both on the same set?  Fuck yeah.

House Boat:

I came in about halfway through these NJ guys set.  I caught House Boat at the Asbury Lanes about two years ago, and remember not being that big of a fan, but this time they killed it.  The vocals used to be a lot whinier is what turned me off originally, but at least last night, it seemed like that was toned down and a gruffer sound shone through.

I unfortunately don’t know any of their songs, but there were a lot of people in the crowd singing along.  I’ll have to give these guys a second listen.

Mean Jeans:

I’ve been meaning to see the Mean Jeans for a while now ever since I’ve heard their Ramones influences punk off of Are You Serious and missed their Friday house show they played in Philly before heading off to Baltimore’s Insubordination Fest.  Seeing them open on a Sunday meant it was going to be a lot more calm (I even heard one girl in the crowd say “wait, the Mean Jeans are drinking water? I’m confused”), but no matter, I’ll take what i can get.

Unfortunately I was upstairs talking to a friend and missed their opening song (and one of my favorites “Born On A Saturday Night”) but the band continued to bring the party with songs off of both full lengths (I need to still check out their latest one On Mars) and even threw some in from some early EPs.  Definitely a fun time, wish they’d come to the east coast more often.

Highlights:
Born On A Saturday Night
On Mars
Steve Don’t Party No More
No Brainer
Case Race
Slime Time
Stoned 2 The Bone
Let’s Pogo B4 U Gogo

Unfortunately I missed Dear Landlord’s set as I needed to grab some food, but I made it back in time for The Dopamines.

The Dopamines:

I’ll be honest, I’m not very familiar with these guys.  I know the name, and I know that I would like them if I ever listened to them, but I never got a chance.  Needless to say I was pretty excited to finally get to check them out.  Totally blown away.

These guys played fast paced pop punk in the veins of early Green Day and Teenage Bottlerocket, and had the crowd singing along every word (although being a mixture of the fact it was early, sunday, and hot as shit… people stayed relatively calm).

Definitely need to check these guys out.

The Copyrights:

I’ve always dug The Copyrights and always try to go see them anytime they come to town, but I was honestly blown away by their latest release of North Sentinel Island.  When I first started listening to them after seeing The Copyrights play a show with Teenage Bottlerocket, they played pretty straight forward pop-punk, but their latest album incorporated so much more.  Less I digress though.

The band took the stage and the sing-alongs began immediately.  Again the crowd was pretty mellow (and my attempts to start a pit were for naught… but all good, I’m seeing Municipal Waste tonight.) but that didn’t slow The Coprights down.  They played a mix from the majority of their releases, with the heaviest being off their latest.

The band looked like they were dying from the heat by the end of their last song when the crowd demanded an encore.  They didn’t leave the small stage yet and then proceeded to blast two more, taking the crowd’s request of “Worn Out Passport” as a closer.

Highlights:
Kids Of The Black Hole
Trustees Of Modern Chemistry
Cashiers
Hardwired
Crutches
Weapons Of Math Destruction
Worn Out Passport

MP3:
The Copyrights – Trustees Of Modern Chemistry
Mean Jeans – Rats Roaches And Jeans

More:
The Copyrights – North Sentinel Island
Mean Jeans – Are You Serious
The Lillingtons – Too Late Show

Buy:
Interpunk

Category: live, music, pop punk, punk, show, Uncategorized / Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Seaway – Self Titled EP (RIYL Crucial Dudes, Newfound Glory, Mixtapes)

/ April 9, 2012 / No comments


I approach pop-punk like postal workers approach a suspicious package in the mail: poke it with a stick a few times, and hope the results don’t leave me covered in burns praying for my life to be spared.  I guess what I’m trying to (poorly) say is for every good pop-punk band, there are probably like 1000 shitty ones I simply cannot stand due to them being too whiny, too poppy, or (insert elitist reason for hating some pop-punk band of your choice here).

Ontario’s Seaway is one of the diamonds in the rough.  With their debut Self Titled EP, Seaway provides 4 tracks of unrelenting pop-punk goodness.  Catchy guitar hooks, infectious sing-a-longs, and just enough grittiness to keep a jaded punk fan like myself interested.  Very reminiscent of Crucial Dudes and early Newfound Glory (fuck you, their Self Titled is good… go listen to the song Vegas and try to tell me it isn’t catchy).

If you dig pop-punk, Seaway should definitely be on your radar.  Go to their bandcamp and check out their Self Titled EP.

Mp3:
Seaway – The Basics

More Pop Punk:
Crucial Dudes – 61 Penn
Saves The Day – Can’t Slow Down (The Best Saves The Day Album)
Hold Tight! – Can’t Take This Away
Mixtapes – Hope Is For People

Buy:
Seaway Bandcamp

Category: music, pop punk, punk / Tags: , , , , ,

Mixtapes – Hope Is For People (For fans Matt and Kim, The Hold Steady, The Dopamines)

/ February 10, 2012 / No comments

Cincinnati’s Mixtapes have been an incredibly busy band.  In a span of less than two years, they’ve released an album, 3 EPs, and a split.  Their latest EP “Hope Is For People” is one of those albums that just immediately puts you in a good mood the second it starts.

If you’re not smiling (or at least singing along with the whoas) halfway through, I’m forced to assume you hate fun or have no soul.  With 6 songs clocking in at 11 minutes (and one of those songs are just an acoustic version of another), Mixtapes really hit their stride on Hope Is For People.  Playing dual guy/gal vocals pop-punk mixed with indie, “Hope Is For People” is poppy without being too sugary.

Songs like “Where I Live” and “The New Ride The Lightning” are your relatively straight forward disgustingly catchy pop-punk, while title track “Hope Is For People” and “You’d Better Bring More Dudes” are acoustic-turn-punk jams.

I’m usually pretty picky when a band is this poppy, but Mixtapes does it fucking right on “Hope Is For People”.  You can’t go wrong if you like your punk a little more poppy, or if you just like fun music in general.

MP3:
Mixtapes – Where I Live

More:
Mixtapes – A Short Collection Of Short Songs
Bomb The Music Industry – Vacations
The Menzingers – Chamberlain Waits
The Copyrights – North Sentinel Island

Buy:
Animal Style Records

Category: music, pop punk, punk / Tags: , , , ,