Showing posts with label punk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label punk. Show all posts
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Album Review: Cloud Nothings - Here and Nowhere Else


Cloud Nothings' face-crunching fourth album is a fearless, assertive follow-up to 2012's Attack on Memory. Oscillating between a chaotic rush of existential howls and throaty but tuneful melodies, Here and Nowhere Else pounds its presence out through furious snare slams and clamorous cymbal crashes.

For better or worse, Cloud Nothings are as foggy and nihilistic as their namesake implies. "You're born / you're gone," cries frontman Dylan Baldi repeatedly on "No Thoughts," succinctly whittling the human condition down to its coming and going. As in the songs of similarly-minded peers Titus Andronicus, however, the absurdity and cruelty of existence makes for some pretty addictive punk rock. 

Here and Nowhere Else largely consists of blurry, anti-pop assaults of pop song-length. Baldi is a dynamic vocalist, sliding from screams to Strokes-style singing with relentless charisma. Even as he complains that "Life gets boring, it fades away," he seems impassioned enough to annihilate the ennui he fears.

On the seven minute penultimate track, "Pattern Walks," Cloud Nothings' piercing songwriting dissolves into textured noise roughly halfway through, then changes pace yet again. Suddenly upbeat, the song reaches skyward with transcendent drive before the album's catchy closer, "I'm Not Part of Me," arrives for grounded final reflections.

Though Baldi speaks of "moving toward a new idea," what registers stronger is a sense of permanent loss. Ultimately, Here and Nowhere Else suggests that the present may not be as thrilling as the "live for today" crowd insists. Nonetheless, claims of hopelessness aside, Cloud Nothings seem to be making the most of their moment in time.

Grade: B+




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Album Review: We Are The In Crowd - Weird Kids


If the sophomore album from We Are The In Crowd is any indication at what their future looks like, then listeners are in for much larger attitude coupled with a lively new presence. It’s only been a little over 2 years since the group released their debut album, Best Intentions, and it seems as though they immediately went to work at channeling their determination and strive for chart domination into an even stronger second album. These pop-punks called in the help of Panic! At The Disco producer John Feldmann to craft their sound into something a bit outside the comfort zone of full on punk music while still maintaining the bursting energy associated with one of their live concerts.

From the moment you start listening to Weird Kids, there is a distinct feeling of surprise and curiosity. There appears to be an ongoing theme that encapsulates the idea of human strength and knowing that We Are The In Crowd are very in touch with their fans this can only be interpreted as a positive message.

Starting the album off is opener “Long Live the Kids,” a signaling track that starts off slow and mellow, but then swells into an all out jam with band front woman Taylor Jardine’s powerful vocals taking over the guitar-ridden track. In similar fashion to the band’s older material, they continue the “call and response” effect between both Jardine and fellow vocalist Jordan Eckes, especially prominent on the song “Come Back Home.” This one allows Eckes his chance to shine by showcasing his smooth tone and also shows how well the harmonious blending of both singers’ voices works in the group’s favor. Almost equally pleasing is their combined vocals on “Manners,” which lyrically discusses a couples issues with each other by bluntly saying “What goes around comes around. Now it's right back here to haunt you. We tried (I earned my wings teaching guys like you). Oh we tried (to keep your mouth shut, so keep your mouth shut).”

Across the ten track offering, the top song is arguably “The Best Thing (That Never Happened),” the first song released from the group to commemorate their latest venture. Without a doubt, this song contains a catchy hook and rhythm unlike anything they've previously crafted, but above all, its whole atmosphere and vibe serve as a reminder that experimenting with sound can be a welcomed change. The album doesn’t even falter into oblivion when it tries its hands at hard-hitting, darker material like in the touching tribute to Jardine’s deceased father in “Windows In Heaven.” This goes to prove the band’s versatility in creating heart warming tributes as well as party anthems, which is often a characteristic that’s difficult to meaningfully convey.

Almost every new artist tries everything in their power to avoid the elusive sophomore slump when going to work on their second album. Luckily for We Are The In Crowd, they were not only able to avoid the slump entirely, but overall they were able to expand and diversify their sound to please a wider audience beyond the confines of pop-punk enthusiasts. 

Grade: B+




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Tonight: Glenn Szymanski Birthday Show feat. Fuck You Pay Me


Tonight, Glenn Szymanski will be celebrating his birthday with a real rager of a show. You may not know Glenn, but there is a good chance you have heard him. He has recorded a large number of Buffalo punk and metal demos over the years, and has played in a laundry list of bands, the most notorious being Towpath. This show will be the debut of his new band, Hooked on Casiophonics. Rumors say it might be a mix of Black Sabbath and Yes.

Coming from Cleveland will be Fuck You Pay Me, featuring the legendary frontman Tony Erba. Erba is known for his intense and can't miss live shows from such bands as 9 Shocks Terror, Gordon Sollie Mother Fuckers, and Face Value. FYPM play that gritty guitar heavy hardcore punk you might expect out of a town like Cleveland.

Opening the show will be the long running ska masters B-Side Basterds, straight edge hardcore band Black X, and the young but ripping thrash band Armageddon.

Lastly to note, this show will be one of those rare shows at the Wasteland Game Room (above the old Vault space) so bring some quarters. Show starts at 7:00 pm, costs $7, and will have a cash only bar.

Saturday February 15th
Wasteland Gameroom
700 Main Street 2nd floor
7:00 pm
$7



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Now Reintroducing: Lazyrus


Lazyrus happens when you pair spoken word influences with shrilling guitar melodies and alternative rock roots into a weirdly experimental and exhilarating chorus of sound. Buffalo slam poet Thomas "Lazyrus" Panzarella and Erie, PA producer Nick Price are the mad men behind this cohesive and kinetic rap rock machine. Each brings to the table elements of expertise that fit comfortably into this marriage of punk and hip hop. Panzarella has frequented local mics and poetry slams, including the city's more recent monthly-run competition, the Pure Ink Poetry Slam, for almost a decade. He has won twelve head-to-head slam competitions and was a member of the city's National Slam Team in 2008. The singer songwriter has worked with several Buffalo-based acts and names including Bogustice Tundra Kidz, Wise Mecca, and Taariq Abdul Salaam. His partner, sound engineer Nick Price, a digital media arts graduate of Canisius College, has assisted in the mixing for high profile artists such as Ciara and Nas and in 2005, began his own multimedia company, Northstar Media.

After joining forces in 2010, Lazyrus released their first project, 13, which caught on to international airwaves and earned them overseas acclaim. 2012 saw the independent release of N.O.M, an album which included the video for their debut single, "IRock." The video was filmed by ThreeGloves Productions in Erie, PA in a vacant space above The Crooked Eye Bar. Technical rigging and lighting transformed the buried treasure of a basement cave into a warehouse of artistic impulses pawing at the soul. What keeps this duo current is their ever-evolving mode of being and unbiased attitude toward experimenting with different sounds and emotions. Panzarella's lyrics project images of wild metal head mayhem in one song, and in a different song, they emit aromas of an acoustic jazz set in a coffee shop. The team is currently working on their next album, which I'm sure will be nothing short of spectacular.

 

Jessica Brant 
~ Photo by Northstar Media
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Tonight: Teenanger, White Whale, Dream Journal and Thaals



Oi! There’s a $5 show at Spiral Scratch Records tonight! Do punks still chant “Oi”? Do punks read buffaBLOG? Reply in the comments, as inquiring bloggers want to know. Enough horseshit. Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty.

Teenanger sounds like a punk band. Cacophonous, well versed in a four chord song structure, and pissed off about… something. Hell, how can you not be pissed off about something in our world today? Their song “Singles Don’t $ell” is probably commenting on the archaic ritual of releasing singles when the purpose of such an act has been lost in an age of music downloading.  Which is funny, 'cause the song would make for a damn good single.

White Whale would like you to know that they’re dead, but if that’s the case, then they have some pretty lively corpses. Up-tempo and heavy, this trio thrashes about, accidentally slapping you in the face… but you like it. They’re dissonant in a way that will force your skull to vibrate until your body moves uncontrollably. 

Dream Journal has mastered the art of creating 2-minute fits of musical rage. Their lyrics are absurd and humorous. If you could beat the screaming shit out of someone in 2 minutes or less, you’d look more awesome doing it with Dream Journal as your live soundtrack. I want to insert some sort of fighting disclaimer here for the sake of Spiral Scratch Records. I will not be held accountable for any violence at the show, so buy a demo and fight someone while listening to it in a private area. Just don’t hit them too hard in their private area… with a baseball bat.

What is punk for, if not to exercise freedom and anger? Or should I say, exorcise? Semantics…

Thaals is a band so new and so punk, that I don’t know enough about them to tell you jack shit. They’re rounding out this solid line-up, and what’s the fun if there isn’t a mystery treat inside your Halloween candy bag?

Check out Spiral Scratch Records tonight (291 Bryant St), and bring a 5-dollar bill. The show is set to start at around 6PM, so make your way over there as soon as you wake up.




 


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Tonight: Son of the Sun, The Tins, and Poindexter


Tonight, the folks in charge of the Larkin Square concert series will be harnessing the power of alternative indie rock through champion title holders Son of the Sun, The Tins, and Poindexter. This combination promises cause 'good feels,' and possibly inspire attendees to get sloshed and dance like no one is looking.

Son of the Sun is just as likely to fit in here as they are at a Blue Oyster Cult concert. Which has happened. The band crafts detailed walls of sound with many layers, but keeps a simple 3 chord writing style which allows them elements of both punk, and psychedelia. The sounds they produce are all too fitting for the end of a summer concert series, and I'm not just saying that because of their name.

It's not easy to completely categorize The Tins' music, but you can be sure they know how to write a damn good song. Their range flies from the anxiety ridden yet danceable "Please Be Kind" to the almost tropical party-ballad "Vicki," to the nostalgia soaked "Midnight Crowd." These guys have new songs floating about in the ether too, so be sure to catch their set and preview what is to come.

 Representing the heavier, punk end of the music spectrum is Poindexter. Warm melodies soar over punchy guitars in Poindexter's alternative punk sounds. With a fast tempo and heavy sound, be sure to hold on tight to your drink during this performance.

 The show starts at 5 in Larkin Square, and it's FREE!


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Tonight: Jack Topht, 100% Black, Dog, and Settlers


I've never been to the Jungle Gym before, but I could only imagine that the place could be some sort of venue simulation designed after the classic apparatus of fun that it gets its namesake from. Performers could balance on metal beams as show goers plummet into wood chips and get bruised, then run back screaming for more. But that would be ridiculous.

Then again, so is Jack Topht.

The man loves to do rap. And beers, and sex and art, and many other things he'd like to share his love for with you. He's a better rapper than you. He's also a self-proclaimed local folk hero. Probably because he actually is. Jack Topht's lyrics are relevant and irreverent at the same time. With an open mind and a sense of humor, you'll enjoy his set. If not, it's likely you haven't lived in Buffalo long enough.

Dog will be on guard to provide the experimental music portion of the night, and will surely deliver on an unusual, interesting musical experience. Dissonant punkers 100% Black are straight out of Binghampton, and will open your mind by shooting beams of high powered feedback through your cranium. Hopefully you're into that sort of thing. 

Picture the seemingly ancient memory of a summer night partying on the beach. Settlers orchestrate the soundtrack for such a scene, and they do it well. Their music may cause you to indulge in a little nostalgia, but without being forced or obvious. 

With a line-up like this, you should feel like you're on a playground.

The show starts around 9:30  at The Jungle Gym.



~ Photo by Nate Peracciny

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