The album starts out with the track “Old Milwaukee Talkie”, an impressive opener that definitely brings you in from the very first line. With the way vocalist Matt Lear starts the song with added vocals from fellow vocalist from The Courtship, Zachary Balloch, this song instantly gets you hooked for what’s to come on the album.

The thing I like most about songs like “Reefer Southerland” and “The Only Thing Pulling It’s Weight Around Here Is My God Damn Truck” is how they goes from fast paced to slow paced so well. I feel like the songs just transition from the singing vocals with melodic background music to screams and heavy breakdowns perfectly. “100 Acre Beards” keeps it heavy while being one of the few songs with a majority of singing. The musicianship in Beards is also to be noted as exceptional.

“Keep The Symbols Splashy And Take The Bass For A Walk” is probably my favorite song on the record. The hooks in this song are beyond good and the same can be said for the lyrics. Where most songs by Texas will build up to a chorus or a specific line and then back down again, I feel like this song is just built from the very beginning and doesn’t ever lose any of it’s steam. “Roadhouse Of The Dead” is one of the more unique songs on the album for the fact that it has no chorus and no singing vocals at all. I feel like due to this, it’s has trouble standing out compared to the other tracks.

“Pedophilidelphia” is another song on Dead As The Day Is Long with great hooks and musicianship. As the album goes on one of the best things about Texas is how raw and real they sound. They’re not a band that’s over produced or put into the studio and edited so much that they sound different on CD than they do live. All of these recordings are recorded by them and they all sound like exactly what you would see live. They aren’t fooling anybody like some bands try to, what you hear is what you get with Texas. Which is something I think I like most about them.

“Hotter Than Girl On Girl” and “The Tail End of Gloria Swordfish” are the next two tracks and they really keep the album going strong. While they continue to show a lot of the elements we’ve seen in previous tracks, they still seem to bring their own thing to the table. “Long Live The New Flesh” is the last song on the album and I feel like the ending of this track made it the best song to end the album with.

So as the album comes to a close my first thought is that this band has mastered a sound unique to them. They’ve stayed true to it and wrote some great songs. The album definitely has some tracks that are weaker than others but overall each track has something great about it. The only thing I disliked about the album is how I feel like it comes a little short on time ending just over a half an hour. Personally I would loved it to be longer. Other than that, this album is outstanding. Definitely pick it up off iTunes sometime in the next couple days. We’ll post the link as soon as it’s put up for sale! Until then download it for free for the next couple hours here, http://www.mediafire.com/?asfn81bsgz3lboo.

And check Texas With A Dollar Sign out on myspace here, http://www.myspace.com/eatsleeptexas

Tracklist:
1. Old Milwaukee Talkie
2. Reefer Southerland
3. 100 Acre Beards
4. The Only Thing That Pulls It’s Weight Around Here My God Damn Truck
5. Keep the Cymbals Splashy and Take the Bass for a Walk
6. Roadhouse of the Dead
7. Pedophilidelphia
8. Hotter than Girl on Girl
9. The Tail End of Gloria Swordfish
10. Long Live the New Flesh

Similar Artists: The Courtship, Hunter City Madness, The Jettison Commitment

Favorite Tracks: Keep The Symbols Splashy And Take The Bass For A Walk, Old Milwaukee Talkie, Long Live The New Flesh

Rating: 9/10

Texas With A Dollar Sign – Dead As The Day Is Long CD Review is a post from: SHREDnews

The five piece hailing from High Wycombe have just released in the UK their first full length album ‘All Our Kings Are Dead’. Young Guns have previously only released one other small EP and two singles so for the band this first album has to make an impression, and it definitely does.

The band’s music is heavy yet catchy and melodic at the same time and with front man Gustav’s emotive lyrics driving the music forward it is just perfect to hear. With Gustav Wood providing the emotive sweet vocals, the band’s line-up is completed by John Taylor (guitar), Fraser Taylor (guitar), Simon Mitchell (bass) and Ben Jolliffe (drums). With the band not only possessing the ability to write some seriously catchy tunes they also have the looks to match and any one of them could be mistaken for being models.

‘All Our Kings Are Dead’ really does pack a punch with hard hitting songs ‘Crystal Clear’, ‘Winter Kiss’ and ‘Weight of the World’ which show off the pure power of the band. The album also shows a more serious side to the band as well with Gustav singing on ‘Sons Of Apathy’ “If there’s one thing that I’ve learned in my short time on this earth/ Devotion should be owed not earned/ Only you determine what you’re worth …my father conquered seas but he was no help to me”. Clearly he touches upon the topic of not growing up with a father.

Other songs on the album ‘DOA’ and ‘Elements’ really bring out the heavy metal influences from the band but also intertwine the melodic side of the band as well. The album itself is by far a great album with plenty of soaring vocals and guitar hooks that will make you want to hear more and go and see the band live for yourself.

The band has toured with some successful bands from Taking Back Sunday, The Used, All Time Low, Lostprophets and The Blackout. With the band also securing a slot on the main stage at 2010’s Reading and Leeds Festival, sharing the stage with rock giants Queens of the Stone Age and Guns and Roses the band are bound to make a big impression and hopefully pick up a lot of new fans at the same time.

So if you want to listen to some new alternative catchy rock anthems from a bunch of handsome UK guys then give Young Guns a listen because you will not be disappointed.

Checkout:
 www.myspace.com/youngguns

A Band You Should Know – Young Guns is a post from: SHREDnews

Jimmy: My name is Jimmy, I play guitar and I sing

Drew: My name is Drew and I play drums

Brian: My name is Brian Ma and I play bass

Jess Grenier: How did Small Talk get started?

Jimmy: Couple of years ago I was doing a solo thing while I tried putting a band together and then through mutual friends I met Drew and Drew was living in Texas at the time. So, I flew him up here for a little bit and it clicked right away. He’s reppin’ the Texas shirt tonight… interesting.

Drew: Interesting?

Jimmy: I’ve known Brian Ma since I was like a little kid and we lost touch for a little while and I saw him at a show and I just said “When are you playing bass with me” just sort of as a joke and then it happened for real and that clicked just as well as me and Drew and I couldn’t be happier with the line up we have now.

Jess Grenier: Anyone else want to add anything?

Brian: That pretty much sums it up… wait what to you got Drew, what cha got?

Drew: I’m from Texas.

Jess Grenier: Is there any story behind the name Small Talk?

Jimmy: Aw man I wish we had a cooler story.

Drew: Can we make one up?

Jess: Yeah, make one up

Drew: Are you good a story telling?

Jimmy: Haha no, if you want the truth I was, like I think I was just pulling out of a parking spot on a really busy street so I was stuck there for like five minutes and I’ve been thinking of band names for a while and it just sort of came to my head. I felt like it really it fit our style cause we’re not really, I dunno we kind of keep to ourselves and we’re pretty shy… We’re shy guys, so I felt Small Talk fit pretty well.

Jess Grenier: Do you have any main musical influences when you’re writing music?

Jimmy: When we write, we try to have a formula for writing but it never really ends up the way you plan it so, for like writing style we just go with it but I’d say everything that we’ve listen to has influenced us, like we’ve all had different influences. I was more into… I was really into acoustic, chill music and Brain, what did you grow up with?

Brian: I went through plenty of phases, like when I was growing up my sister listen to a lot of top 40 radio, so I was pretty much forced to listen to that and just kind of ended up liking it but then there was a dark period of my life where I did listen to some heavier stuff such as; Korn, Limp Biskit, Orgy…

Drew: that’s the main influence

Brian: that’s the main influence, so I was like “Yeah I wanna be like those guys” and I’m definitely still not, so that’s my story.

Drew: Uhm, I dunno I used to a lot of, it was just like Death Cab, I just went through all that stuff and like Postal Service, and Bright Eyes. That’s like, I dunno that was a while ago and now I listen to rap and stuff.

Jimmy: Yeah, He came back…

Drew: I kind of did a 180

Jimmy: Last time he want home for a little bit, he came back up here and all of a sudden he had this whole new musical taste and we would just listen to mashups all the time and it’s awesome, I’m into it.

Drew: Bustin‘ out free styles.

Jess Grenier: Do you guys write from personal experience or just whatever happens, happens?

Jimmy: Oh no, it’s so weird we’re realizing it more and more every time we write a song, that me and Brain have lived the same life and just different circumstances. So, when he starts a song I can totally connect it to something that happened to me and finish it or the other way around and so it’s really weird and then when it comes to putting the music together that goes back to our musical taste We all just jam it out and we each put in our own little spin on it and it comes out with Small Talk.

Jess Grenier: Have you always wanted to be musicians?

Jimmy: Yeah, I was in a band with this guy right here, Conner sells merch for we were in a third grade punk-rock band called Scene 72, it was a solid punk-rock third grade band, it was awesome. Yeah since then I really haven’t made any other plans. I should be… most people my age are thinking about college right now and I’m just kinda of chillin‘ and livin‘ it.

Brian: When I was growing up there was two things I really wanted to be, I’m going to say musician because that’s pretty much the obvious answer right now but I used to be into pro wrestling and I thought I could get big and be a pro wrestler, but obviously be 5’ 6 and less than 150 pounds, that’s not going to happen. It’s really sad, very sad.

[Brian to Drew]: Did you always want to be a musician?

Drew: Uhm, no, I dunno. I had aspirations to be a business man and whatever that entails but no. Just in the past five or six years, five years probably or less… musician.

Jess Grenier: You guys have a Self-Titled EP out, can you guys about about the writing/recording process?

Jimmy: Yeah sure, when we put that out the band was really just me and Drew so we went into the studio and recorded that and that EP was just the story of the past two years before I wrote it, all the stuff that happened. So then yeah, we released that and we’ve been playing shows around that, we’re actually… we’re in the early stages of recording some new stuff. We’re just hanging out, the EP is good and… what else? Actually that that was right when I got Drew. We just immediately went into the studio and recorded that.

Jess Grenier: And then going onto your new EP can you talk about it?

Jimmy: We’re in the early stages of it right now, I don’t want to say to much, we like staying under the radar a little bit, but I’m really excited about it. I think people will get into it when it comes out but I not even going to say a release date or what it’s going to be like but…

Brian: There was a lot of hard work put into it

Jimmy: A lot of hard work

Drew: A couple months

Jimmy: Couple months, it was a long couple of months but this one is, it’s all about me and Brain Ma’s parallel lives so, get ready for that.

Jess Grenier: Can you say if it’s like your EP now or do you think you’ve grown as a band?

Jimmy: It’s definitely more… uh, we definitely found ourselves for these songs. Theres a little more of the acoustic aspect to it but it’s not like we changed our style. We’re still the same band.

Jess Grenier: Do you have any of favorite songs off your EP?

Jimmy: Playing? I dunno what do you guys think?

Brian: The old EP?

Jimmy: Yeah.

Brian: I really like to play “Change Your Mind” just cause it’s real easy.

Drew: I guess “Something”

Jimmy: I think “Something” is fun, I like “Change Your Mind” too. I’m going to have to go with “Change Your Mind” aswell.

Jess Grenier: Your favorite song to play live?

Jimmy: We got a new one that’s going to be coming out when we release our new stuff called “Don’t Go” and I’m pretty sure that’s the favorite of all of ours. It’s just like, it’s the most high energy one of the new songs. It’s always a lot of fun play with a crowd there. Do you guys want to add anything?

Brian: I said “Don’t Go” too.

Drew: “Don’t Go” for sure

Jess Grenier: What’s your favorite venue to play at?

Jimmy: I like The Middle East dude.

Brian: I love The Middle East.

Jimmy: This is the first time we’ve played the downstairs. I haven’t even seen it before today but It’s always fun when people come to hang out at this venue and we consider it our hometown venue I’d say. Except for Drew, cause Drew is a Texan.

Drew: All Asia.

Brian: All Asia? You’ve never played there..Oh you played that one time

Jess Grenier: So this year at the Bamboozle Roadshow Boston date, you played with Stereo Skyline, how was that experience?

Jimmy: Oh that was fun, they’re my good friends, so when ever they tour through here I’ll uh… they’ll be like “you wanna jump onstage for the last song?” And I just go “yeah” and I kind of wing it every time I’m up there.That show was especially fun cause LMFAO came out too and they were dancing and rapping. It was just a party on stage, I had a lot of fun at that show.

Jess Grenier: If you could create a dream tour with any three bands, dead or a live, who would they be and why?

Jimmy: We’ll each take a band to tour with, let’s take one band each and make a tour. Do you guys know what you’re going to say?

Brian: Yup.

Drew: Well I’ll base it off who you say first.

Brian: Uhm, I would love to tour with Matchbox 20 cause I love Rob Thomas

Drew: Third Eye Blind

Brian: Yeah, We’re going ’90’s baby

Jimmy: I’m going to break that though, Kings of Leon for sure, but if we could get them in their youth and young manhood days that would be even better.

Jess Grenier: What is a random fact that your fans might not know about you?

Brian: I used to live abroad for two years in a little country called Singapore, My dad was transferred there and I to spend the first two years of high school there and it was awesome. I got to travel to a lot of neighboring countries and it was a great experience for me.

Drew: I’m a big fan of Panda Express and orange chicken mainly.

Jimmy: What about me? Can you guys help me out on this one? I just put my whole life out in the open, nah I’m just kidding.

Drew: A lot of people know that…

Jimmy: How good of a dancer I am, just kidding I can’t dance well at all.

Drew: You’re sick at Call Of Duty on Xbox

Jimmy: That’s you dude, I don’t mess around with that. I’m going to say that I uh…

Drew: He eats tons
Jimmy: Oh that’s pretty good.

Drew: He looks super skinny but he eat like no other

Jimmy: I eat too much, I eat everyone else’s leftovers and I always feel sick after every meal.

Drew: He’s that mean kid that take’s everyone’s lunch.

Jimmy: I’m talking advantage of this while I can so.

Jess Grenier: What do you do when you’re not writing music or play music?

Brian and Drew: Basketball.

Jimmy: We are so into basketball right now. I kind of have a court in my back yard and we set up some outdoor spotlights

Brian: This is an address to everybody out there in the public that Small Talk is challenging anybody to three on three. You grab three people and you guys want to come up against us, It’s on.

Jess Grenier: If you could co-write a song with anyone who would it be?

Jimmy: I’d co-write with Jamie T, I’d co-write a british rap song and I would sing it with a british accent.

Drew: With a british accent?

Jimmy: I’m getting really good at it, I’ve been practicing in the car.

Brian: Is it only one person I can pick?

Jess: You can pick two or three or whatever

Brian: Number one: Butch Walker. Number two: Imogen Heap.

Drew: Number three: Both of them together

Brian: And both of them together

Jess Grenier: Describe Your bandmates in three words.

Jimmy: Let’s see Drew, I have one but I don’t want to like embarrass you for Drew I’m going to say Call Of Duty. For Brian Ma, no wait I want to change Drew’s. With Drew… I can describe Drew in three words: Doin’ it big. Brian Ma, I’m going to have to say: crazy as anything. Cause you never know what might happen when he’s around.

Drew: Alright Brian Ma is definitely a wildcard.

Brian: Is wildcard one word?

Drew: Uhm, I just made it. And Jimmy is I dunno, insanely epic

Jimmy: That’s two words

Jess: Insanely epic person?

Jimmy: Insanely epic person

Drew: Person, yeah.

Brian: Drew, I’m going to have to say chase that thrown. You won’t get that though but it’s there and Jimmy would be I am robot.

Jimmy: I am robot? I feel like that actually describes me pretty well.

Jess Grenier: Who has been you’re favorite band to play with thus far?

Jimmy: Well we got real close with Hollywood Lies when we went out on tour with them a couple of months ago. It was just us two on the tour and we did a little east coast run and then up to Chicago and then came home. We just got know them, we bro’ed down every night and that was a lot of fun.

Drew: Definitely Hollywood Lies cause that was our first tour and they just became our boys. We’d love to go on tour with every body probably just cause it creates so much of a friendship but definitely Hollywood Lies.

Brian: Mine would be Hollywood Lies cause I haven’t really been playing that many shows and they’re the ones we kind of love. I love them. I would invite them to Thanksgiving, I think.

Jess: Have a Bromance tour.

Drew: Have a Bro tour with Hollywood Lies.

Jess Grenier: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Jimmy: I know we’re being really shady about it but get ready for the new music cause we’re all really excited about it. We promise we won’t make anybody wait to much longer.
Drew: Yeah, stay tuned for new music, MySpace.com/smalltalk

Brian: Twitter.com/smalltalkband, facebook.com/smalltalkband

Drew: Tumblr, jk but check it out.

Brian: Livejournal

Jimmy: Livejournal.com just cause it’s a good website and you should read what people have to say.

Small Talk Interview is a post from: SHREDnews

Handguns, a little pop-punk band from Pennsylvania are coming out with their new EP called Anywhere But Home. They creatively use their experiences from not fitting in to not feeling wanted at home to make meaningful lyrics and catchy punk beats. The band is currently on some Warped Tour dates promoting their new EP.

“Anywhere But Home” the first song off of their EP really demonstrates their talent and it really showcases how well they can compose a song. I really love the guitars in this song along with the lyrics. The following song “Fingers Crossed” is a short song but Handguns makes it worth listening to despite it being only 1:19 minutes long.

Track number three called “Harbor Water” is probably my favorite song off their EP mainly because I love the feel of the song. I also really enjoy the lyrics, I just feel like this song helps being this EP together even though it’s not the last song. “Last Year” Is one of Handguns song’s that I feel like everyone can relate too. The song talks about a friend making friends with people they hate and you learn to let that friend go because they’re not worth it.

“My Own Captain” is another song that really captures the band’s talent. This song is also another short song but sometime you don’t need three minutes to get you’re point across. In the next song “Pave The Way” I really enjoy how everything fits together, it’s quite an enjoyable song to listen to. “Two Weeks” is the finally song on Anywhere But Home, I really like the feel of this song as well, it brings the whole EP together, finishing it with lovely punk sound.

Tracks:
Anywhere But Home
Fingers Crossed
Harbor Water
Last Year
My Own Captain
Pave The Way
Two Weeks

Similar Artists: Lifetime, The Movielife, and New Found Glory

Favorite Tracks: Anywhere But Home, Harbor Water, Last Year and Two Weeks

Rating Out of Ten: 8.5/10

Handguns Anywhere But Home EP Review is a post from: SHREDnews

Kentucky’s Emarosa have finally released their new self titled album through Rise Records as a follow up from the successful “Relativity”. Teamed up with producer Brian McTernan, this is Emarosa at the top of their game, musically, emotionally and artistically. This dynamic album will leave you with your mind being somewhat shattered.

Emarosa have taken this album to a higher level, with more complex and animated guitar riffs, and pounding drum beats that you will make you headbang without even realizing it. The drumming in this album is more thrilling and gripping than in “Relativity”. It’s good to see how much this band has progressed within two years and the talents of each member shine through and stand out impressively.

The most prominent talented member is, of course the incredible vocalist Jonny Craig. His vocals in this album are utterly superb, it’s obvious he is has an incredible gift. Any Dance Gavin Dance fan (one of Craig’s former bands) will know of his strong vocals. In Emarosa’s previous album “Relativity” both instruments and Craig’s vocals were both presented strongly, however in this album Craig’s voice is displayed more clearly, ranging from soft, slow and almost soulful melodies to rough and courageous wails. Lyricism has also been taken up a notch, where Craig sings more of his personal experiences, he adds another “I Still Feel Her Pt.4” to the series where he opens with “In my dreams, time it seems, is pain without end”. Craig even puts screaming to this song which just adds to the emotion and passion displayed in every note.

Other tracks that stand out has to be “A Toast to the Future Kids!”, the opening track of the album that sets the standard and pace for the rest of the record, it dramatically builds up to a racy chorus that shows off the epic drum beats that drummer Lukas Koszewski has to offer. “Share the Sunshine Young Blood” being one of the most catchiest tracks, by repeating the intro guitar riff into the chorus, that strengthens the hook to be stuck in your head for longer than normal, “The Game Played Right” accomplishes this also. “Broken vs the Way We Were Born” is another blazing track, each instrument screams intensity and Craig’s vocal chords sound stimulating and gritty.

That being sad, the record is shorter than I thought it would be, being an only 10 track album which may not make it much of a record of the year. When first listening, the tracks also sounded fairly similar if you listen to the whole album in one go repeatedly. However each track entails something special, whether it being the catchy riffs, Craig’s vocals (which I consider special in every track) or the penetrating drum beats, it is an overall impressive record. Emarosa have shown the world what they have achieved.

Tracklist
1. A Toast To The Future Kids!
2. Pretend.Relive.Regret.
3. Share The Sunshine Young Blood
4. Truth Hurts While Laying On You Back
5. Live It. Love It. Lust It.
6. The Game Played Right
7. Broken Vs The Way We Were Born
8. I Still Feel Her Pt 4
9. The Weight Of Love Blinds Eyes
10. We Are Life

Rating: 7/10
Sounds like: Dance Gavin Dance, Chiodos, Pierce The Veil.

Emarosa – Self-Titled CD Review is a post from: SHREDnews

It’s quite rare to find a great band from New Hampshire, but once in a while they pop up and you’re completely blown away and leaves you wondering “why haven’t I heard of this band before?!” I came across The American Fiction at Lannen Fall’s last show ever and this is the same scenario that happened to me. As far as I knew the only NH bands that have been decent are Our Last Night and And Then There Were None. These bands don’t really come close to the pop-rock genre.

Track number one called “Home Again” has a great entrance lead by vocals that blend so well. The lyrics are also quite interesting and they just flow really well with the music. This song is definitely one of my favorites I love how everything comes together to make you actually pay attention to the lyrics. The Following song “ All Too Honest” has a super catchy chorus and it’s really easy to dance to. This is the only song that the band has on their Purevolume right now. I think it’s a good choice though because it showcases their talent beautifully.

“Out of Context (This Doesn’t Mean a Thing) is a very alluring song to listen to. It’s slow and very relaxing. You can listen to this song and drift off to a different place while you focus on the music and lyrics. The next song “Summer Romantics” starts off strongly with guitars and then leads into the vocals. This song is the perfect summer relationship anthem. It could be apart of anyone’s summer soundtrack. The final song on the The Dreamers EP is called “Somehow, Someway.” The song has an instrumental beginning which helps build up to where the lyrics begin. My favorite part of the song is where everyone is singing at the end. It’s quite a fantastic song to end with.

Tracks:
Home Again
All Too Honest
Out of Context (This Doesn’t Mean a Thing)
Summer Romantics
Somehow, Someway

Similar Artists: Mayday Parade, Racing Kites

Favorite Tracks: Home Again, All Too Honest, Summer Romantics and Somehow, Someway.

Rating Out of Ten: 10/10

The American Fiction – The Dreamers EP Review is a post from: SHREDnews

The Gaslight Anthem return to us with their 3rd released album “American Slang”. A follow up from the popular “The 59’ Sound”. Songs from that album have been hammered into my head ever since that album was released, and during my anticipation for “American Slang” I did have some doubt that The Gaslight Anthem couldn’t possibly better their previous one. But they did it.

“American Slang” still hosts the same big tunes as “The 59’ Sound” did, but it is a step forward. They offer the same thrills and intensity but from a bit of a different angle, some may like it, some may not. The Gaslight Anthem have definitely broadened their musical palettes with a Van Morrison influence in “Stay Lucky” however this song could have fit comfortably on their last album once you hear the gripping guitar solo. Another influence is Bruce Springsteen, particularly in the song “Bring It On” with the opening lyrics “My Queen of the Bronx, blue eyes and spitfire.” Another Bruce Springsteen feel is in the song “The Diamond Church Street Choir.” Opening with finger clicks which is very reminiscent of Sprinsteen’s early days. Frontman Brian Fallon attempts to sing at his highest towards the end of the song and it’s very enlightening to hear this side of him.

The track “Orphan” is an obvious and immediate anthem on the record, charged by a tricksy and crafty guitar riff intro, creating a uplifting mood with your heart on your sleeve. Drummer Benny Horowitz excels on this track, it’s like he is urging you to jump around. The Gaslight Anthem are pretty clever when it comes to introductions, the track “The Spirit Off Jazz” starts off with a brilliant and exhilarating intro which could definitely be a crowd favourite with the lyrics repeated “and she’s waiting, and she’s waiting! and I’m waiting, and I’m waiting!” which you can almost visualise a crowd screaming back to you. The album quite fittingly closes with a nostalgic theme with the track “We Did It When We Were Young”. It builds up dramatically by adding more instruments as the track continues and more percussion is added which gives off a heartfelt mood. It’s one that could even shed a tear from a 38 year old beer drinking man sitting in a bar with those lyrics “I’m older now and we did it when we were young”. The bands attitude to the past seems rather charitable.

The change of pace in this album gives the listener a chance to sit back and intake the music, which is what makes it different from the more upbeat album “The 59’ Sound”. It promotes the bands maturity and diversity as they aim to grip onto listeners emotions. The bands maturity is also displayed as you can clearly hear that they seem to be reaching into American musical traditions, especially Springsteen traditions. And Brian Fallon’s voice has adopted more of a smoky tone and crinkly texture, that is somewhat divine to hear. The Gaslight Anthem still maintain some of their well known pop-punk riffs, however the way they lean more into classic rock is just charming and now they can appeal to a much wider audience.

The Gaslight Anthem – American Slang CD Review is a post from: SHREDnews

Park After Dark is a small punk-rock band from Long Island, NY. They’re not your ordinary punk-rock band according to their MySpace. I’d have to agree they are different and I’m not sure if they’re everyone’s cup of tea. After listening to their EP, I really questioned the quality of their recordings and the structures of their songs. Normally, I’m all up for any type of music but after hearing [sharkbear.], I probably wouldn’t look further into this band. There was only one song that I ended up liking but that’s about it.

The first song off of Park After Dark’s EP is titled “Simple Remedy” which is the only song that I found appealing off of it. I really enjoy how the drums start in and how the vocal comes in. The beat is decent to nod you head to and the vocal is nice on your ears. I feel like this is the one “dance-able” song. The following song “I’m Spent” is a bad recording not that its the band’s fault. I really don’t like the how the wording and the music go together in this song either. I only really like the small slow parts.

Track number three “Running on Fumes” is alright. The only thing I found I liked about this song was the guitar in the beginning. This song flows onto the next song Pretending. I don’t have much to say about this song except that the bass line is pretty catchy. Song number five “Between The Bars” which is an Elliot Smith cover, I feel like I can’t say much about this song unless I heard the original to compare it.

Tracks:
1. Simple Remedy
2. I’m Spent
3. Running On Fumes
4. Pretending
5. Between The Bars (Elliott Smith Cover)

Similar Artists: Cake, Green Day, Sublime
Favorite Track(s): Simple Remedy
Rating Out of Ten: 4/10

Park After Dark – [Sharkbear.] EP Review is a post from: SHREDnews

Room 207 starts out strong with the song Just Like Any Other. As the song starts I got an All Time Low vibe that really drew me in, but as the song progressed it definitely got me hooked with the catchy chorus. Just Like Any Other is also a song that’s perfect for the band’s live performance since the entire end of the song becomes kind of a sing along between the band and crowd.

The EP keeps on going strong with It’s Not Too Late, It’s Never Too Late. The chorus of this track has amazing background vocals along with carrying on the catchiness we just heard from the first track, leading to believe that this EP is going to be something stuck in your head for quite awhile.

Can’t You See confirms our thoughts while giving us another track to play over and over in our heads. I especially like how the guitars build up to certain parts of the song. A Secret I Can’t Keep slows the EP down a bit. It’s about a girl who’s extremely fake and it comes back to hurt her.

The next track, Stop And Think (When Failure Is Not An Option), is one of my favorites off the EP. While easily the catchiest track has some of the best elements of the other songs all in one. With great back up vocals and perfectly timed instruments, Stop And Think will definitely be on repeat when I’m playing music. Finally, the EP ends with Good Friends Are Like Bright Stars. While the song starts slow it builds up more and more and has the same sing along element I liked with the first track.

Overall, Hartford is definitely a band to look out for. This is just the beginning for them. Room 207 is sure to be a huge hit in Canada and hopefully everywhere else too! Catch Hartford around Canada through July with Going Through The Motions and In Lights. Check them out at http://www.myspace.com/hartford819.

Tracks:
1. Just Like Any Other
2. It’s Not Too Late, It’s Never Too Late
3. Can’t You See
4. A Secret I Can’t Keep
5. Stop And Think (When Failure Is Not An Option)
6. Good Friends Are Like Bright Stars

Favorite Tracks: Just Like Any Other, It’s Not Too Late, It’s Never Too Late, Stop And Think (When Failure Is Not An Option)

Similar Artists: All Time Low, Blink-182

Rating Out of Ten: 9/10

Hartford – Room 207 EP Review is a post from: SHREDnews

Escape Directors is a little indie band from Wayne, NJ. With four members, this band is trying to create an original indie-pop sound all of their own. Their first ever EP Ladder was released earlier this month on June 3rd.

The first song on the EP called “Heart Defeats The Home” start off real mellow and relaxing. It’s slow but you’ll be catching yourself singing along. The next song “Honest Man” starts off in a real easy going tone but picks up and flows nicely into the next song. “Fall Together” is one of those song that has everything right in all the right places. The lyrics and melody just fall together like the title.

The following song “When You’re Gone” is more acoustical than the songs that come before it. The song also starts out slow but slowly crescendos with more energy and emotion. This song hands down is probably one of my favorite track on this EP. The next song “Chicago” is featured on their website. I can easily see this song becoming a single on the radio or just a hit in general. If you take one listen, you’ll understand.

The sixth track on the EP is titled “Mrs. Davenport” is a lovely slower song that your ears will love. The vocals on this song are superb. Subsequent to “Mrs. Davenport” is the song “Margaret Marion” is an even slower piano song. It’s a really beautiful song to listen to. It’s one of those songs that you can listen to to if you having a bad day and listening to it will brighten you mood. The final song on the EP is called “Take Me Back Home” and its a perfect song to finish the EP with.

Tracks:
Hearts Defeats The Home
Honest Man
Fall Together
When You’re Gone
Chicago
Mrs. Davenport
Margaret Marion
Take Me Back Home

Favorite Tracks: Chicago, Mrs. Davenport, Fall Together, Take Me Back Home

Similar Artists: Death Cab For Cutie

Rating Out of Ten: 7/10

Escape Dirctors – Ladders EP Review is a post from: SHREDnews