Out of all the releases Death To False Hope Records has ever put out, Gates features the most laid back artwork. A grainy brown backdrop with hand drawn outlines of trees adore the front cover with the simple lettering of “gates” floating harmlessly overtop.
Somehow, all of that just makes sense when you sit down and listen to Gates. Slow, reserved and almost quiet – Gates are not your typical Death To False Hope band. This is soft, growing and controlled – better suited for a label like Deep Elm Records as it ebbs and flows with restrained emotion.
A split ten inch record that spans the globe, this split features two songs a piece from Bears and Todos Caerán. The former of which hails all the way from Tasmania, Australia while the later resides in the chilly streets of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. If that’s not a global split, I don’t know what its.
Combining post-hardcore and screamo, Bears function with a restrained sense of emotion and anticipation, always teetering on the brink of explosion. For their part, Todos Caerán continue where they left off with their self-titled release. Heavier and slower than their counterpart, Todos Caerán throws back to the early nineties wave of hardcore/screamo. Abrasive at times and sometimes intricately beautiful, Todos Caeran are not for the weak of heart but for those ready for the return of true screamo.
Los Angels’ Seahaven is one of the most promising new post-punk bands of the year. Part Brand New, part Jawbreaker, and part the late Crime In Stereo, the band satisfies that craving for deep, emotional punk. Kevin Devine and Manchester Orchestra are also great comparisons – so many great bands come to mind they simply need to be heard. For my full thoughts, check out my full review.
Here’s a great little sip of post-punk from Juicebox Records. The band is Vancouver’s Party At The Moontower, and their new EP, Fifty Year Storm, isn’t the first time they’ve gone through juicebox’s donation based label for distribution. Check ‘em out, if you enjoy it, you can always give’m a penny (or a buck or two) for their thoughts.
Now here’s something fun and ambitious. At first it might seem like some glossy power-pop band – and you’d be right. But they have a little something more than just garden variety hooks and slick hair. It’s tough to place a finger on, but if you like post-punk, then you stand a chance at getting into this.
Hunt Club has crafted a short but great post-punk debut that draws on a little bit of everything. And I mean everything – there’s even a few banjos and accordion flourishes here and there. Oddly the combination works wonders and makes for an engrossing 20 minute adventure that is anything but predictable. Recommended for those who want something a little different.
Despite breaking up last year, Cambridge’s The Tupolev Ghost is able to live on posthumously in this downloadable EP from Big Scary MonstersRecords. If you like it, you can buy it on CD from BSM here
For fans of post-hardcore bands like On The Might of Princes, Bridge & Tunnel, Million Dead and At The Drive In.
This Saturday’s second album will find it’s greatest appreciation from fans of experimental punk indie band’s like Brand New. The unique combination of emotional vocals and low key melodies has made this one of my favourite free releases in recent memory. Consequently I listen to it as much as, if not more, than anything I’ve purchased recently. The second track, Ambulance, is an instant classic. Play this track for some friends and you’re guaranteed to have them asking you for the artist name and track title.
The Wagner Logic – Easiest To Grab
Sure, it’s not actually a real album, but it does have a few tracks from noteable punk related bands. Mentionable names that I’ve never gotten into personally include underground garage-punk revivalists Jay Reatard, as well as one of hardcore’s most celebrated bands in recent memory, Fucked Up.
Last year, one of my favourite records was a CD from a band called Over Stars and Gutters. They’re a relatively small band from Oklahoma but their self-released CD, Consider This Your Curse simply blew me away. The vocals were raw, think Hot Water Music, the music intense, think Lifetime meets Dillinger Four, and the passion was undeniable. I must have been on to something, because since then they’ve been picked up by Black Number Records who have just re-released the CD. If that’s not enough, they’ve only posted the release as a donation based download – so check it out, I can guarantee you’ll love it (and when you do, think about donating something to the band).
