Meneguar - I Was Born at Night

Music is more than notes and words and chords strung together to make something beautiful. It's the soundtrack to every experience and relationship you have in your life. As cornball that sounds, I really believe in it and it's for this reason I hold some records very close to my heart. Meneguar, to me, represents this really awesome time in my life when I met some of the most amazing people that I'm proud to call my friends now. This group of friends help introduce me to so much new and fantastic music. I remember spending long winter afternoons at the SnicPit just talking about music while my iPod was filled to the brim for new jams to discover. (Courtesy of Mr. Frena. Thank you sir)

Meneguar's I Was Born at Night was one record that really stood out for me during that time. I spent a good portion of that winter jamming this record on cold bus rides across town and hellish 8 hour days in front of the computer. As far as sound goes, think Brainworms' jagged yet strangely melodic guitar work, mixed with Archers of Loaf's weirdo angular indie rock and a ton of poppy goodness. All you really need to know is this is some really great indie rock with a lot of hidden complexity that shows itself after a few listens. It might not stick the first time, but I guarantee it will grow on you.
~AB

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Fuck Tower - Demos

I just need to take care of a little business real quick. Firstly, I really pride myself on keeping this blog relevant and fresh, and sometimes I have a hard time finding new and interesting stuff to post. So when there is a serious lag in posts I apologize. Secondly, I just heard from MK a few days ago. He has settled nicely into his new Eastern digs and he's doing well despite his lack of internet. Posts from him will resume one day. Connect to the matrix bro.

OK...I got a gooder for your earholes today. Fuck Tower was a awesome (and young) band from Calgary. I never got to see them unfortunately, but members went on to help form Brain Fever, so if you're a fan of the feve listen up. From what I understand, they only ever recorded 3 songs and played a handful of shows...which is a damn shame. I would have loved to see this band grow...guaranteed this band would have been a powerhouse in Calgary.

As far as sound goes, I compare it to Thundrah a bit, but with less disco and more hardcore. Or Early North of America with a bit more of a dance fever. Or like...2 skinny punk kids in a basement trying to get a bunch of basketball jersey wearing bro-jocks to shake their hips instead of swing their fists. More Turkish Disco than Seeing Red. Get it?

Thanks so much to Nicholas for sending me this and letting me post it. It means a ton that people are willing to share their music.
~AB

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Moving Targets - Burning in Water

It's always rad to hear a band from the 80's that I've never heard of, but have obviously been pretty influential in the kind of music I love. Moving Targets was a band from Boston that was active around the mid 80's that played a really great brand of punk similar to bands like Husker Du and The Replacements. Personally, I love this style of punk. It's poppy enough for anyone to enjoy, but has enough of an edge to keep it from being cheese-ball radio rock. Moving Targets was also heavily inspired by the DC scene going on at the time (Rites of Spring, Dischord Records, you know the drill) and you can definitely hear a bit of that, especially in songs like The Other Side (which sounds like it could be a lost Rain song) and the horn laced Shape of Somethings that almost pays tribute to Nation of Ulysses. Although Moving Targets never really achieved cult status like some of the bands around them, they no doubt helped influence the pop punk/indie scene that seemed to explode in the early 90's and you can hear their sound in bands like Seaweed and others.

Anyways, all the namedropping aside, this record is great. Rocking tunes with great hooks that will be stuck in your head for days, guaranteed. Burning In Water was originally released separately in 1986, but then repackaged and rereleased with their 1989 record Brave Noise. For all the pop punk enthusiast out there, Moving Targets' song The Other Side was also featured on a split 7" with punk juggernauts Screeching Weasel in 1988. Cool!
~AB

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Kevin Rips: Twelve Hour Turn - Perfect Progress, Perfect Destruction

"The difference between twelve hours and twelve years is quite unclear"

I know I'm often given to hyperbole, but this time it's the God's-honest truth. "Perfect Progress, Prefect Destruction" is one of the greatest records in existence. I can't think of a more apt title that this, because this indeed a perfect record. Starting with "water under bridges rise," the most epic of openers, you'd think that the opened with the best jam, until you get to the next one. And the next one, and the next after that. Every song is increasingly a beautiful jam.

Incredibly matched guitars, with incredibly matched and impassioned vocals. Lyrically, this album is one of the most inspiring, as it doesn't dwell on worn cliches, it is an emo record, certainly, but likely one of the realest and actually most affecting since Rites of Spring unleashed it on the world. It still sits in a well obviously influenced by Fugazi and others, but still has a definite Florida/No Idea feel to it. This is pre-Tubers, and one can see the progression from here to there, so you have some idea how it sounds. But really, the thing that makes this record so good, is simply the fact that the songs all kill. The songs rip, the vocals break at all the right spots, and they aren't afraid to let things breathe. Play hardcore slower, and let the power shine through.

Desert island record.

"Join the choir, start to sing, loud!"
~KS

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Fine Lines - Demo (2008)

Some bands know how to write sprawling epics and some bands just know how to write bangers. Washington, DC's Fine Lines is definitely the latter. Three minute hardcore songs with a tinge of rock and roll to keep the head nodding and the hips shaking and just enough heart to keep you emo nerds interested. Loud, sloppy and dirty, just the way it should be! Think Daniel Striped Tiger meets Hot Snakes meets Black Flag...then again, maybe not. Regardless, Fine Lines is a fun listen and worth checking out. Sadly they're done, but you can download their other release (a split with BOOST) on their Myspace.
~AB

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Field Tree - Fleas in his Collar 7"

Interesting mid 90's emo record from Detroit's Fieldtree. The first time I heard this I was really into the first song (Limb). It was really chaotic and frantic, and I really dug the bass and vocals. Side B (Memories Of The World) didnt't even really sound like the same band upon first listen and for a long time I just ignored this song. However, the more I listen to it, the more I love it. The vocals remind me of a lot of midwest emo that was popular at the time, but there is still that bit of frantic urgency that the other track plays on so well. All in all a solid offering from a band that a lot of folks may not know about.

Fun Fact: This 7" was released on Canadian Label, Winter Records, which released some of Canada's more legendary hardcore bands like Chokehold and Left For Dead. How Can They Intend to Heal (the go to blog for Canadian Hardcore) has a great interview with the owner of Winter Records. Check it.
~AB

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Bent Outta Shape - Stray Dog Town

AB: More goodness from prairie punk historian, Aaron. So stoked that he keeps sharing pieces of his huge collection. Also, I stole the above photo from this flickr. Hope that person doesn't mind! Cover Art was too small, but you can snag it here.

This is truly a punk rock record. You don’t understand the spirit of punk until you’ve heard this. It captures the very heart and soul of the genre in every off-time strum and every out-of-tune note. Very few albums like this exist in the history of music. Any time I throw it on, it always sounds to me like John Mellancamp fronting the best Replacements-inspired band in the world. If that’s not accurate enough, think of the bands that Salinas Records signs. That’s pretty close. Except Bent Outta Shape are better than all those bands.

If you enjoy songs about loving your friends, riding the bus, and thinking society is strange, this is for you. Singer/guitarist Jamie Ewing died two years ago at the age of 25 in his apartment in Brooklyn. The dude was a brilliant songwriter and I miss his presence in the music world.
~AS

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Wunami - Pointless Demo

Sorry things on GGS have been a bit slow lately. No real excuse other than a general lack of energy on my part. That being said, I have a few goodies to upload fairly soon, so keep an eye out for that.

Today, I have a treat for any of you post rock/metal nerds out there. Wunami is from California and play dark and heavy post rock, not unlike bands like Godspeed You Black Emperor, Caspian, or Russian Circles. The songs are long and take their time to build up, but it's always worth it when they explode out of the gates. Nothing too groundbreaking here, but definitely worth checking out. Beautiful post rock for cold winter nights.
~AB

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Kevin Rips: La Maladresse - s/t

I wish I had a longer history with this band. La Maladresse are proof that some of the most incredible post-hardcore in the world is made in Canada - and that Canada does not care near enough about it. Put this right beside Shotmaker and The Plan - we've got gold here.

Formed in small suburb of Quebec City, La Maladresse (loosely translated as "The Clumsiness") began in the same way so many great bands form - in isolation. Isolation due to their language in being surrounded by anglophones, isolation in their place in the country, isolation in the apparent brilliance of sound. La Maladresse produce a sound far beyond that of a duo. Saying such has become a cliche when referring to loud two-pieces, and for the most part, it is a statement that is generally completely unfounded. Maybe with the exception of Hella does a guitar and drums combo do this: absolutely blows everything and everyone away. The drums and guitar weave through each other so deftly and intricately, I'm amazed it exists. Mathy, incredible melodies, impassioned vocals - I only wish I could sing along.... or shout along, rather. I don't understand it. This album is awesome. Literally awed by it.

Stalwart Sons had the great privilege of playing La Maladresse's final show earlier this summer, and am so grateful it could have happened. I can only hope, now that we have one half of La Maladresse living in here Alberta, that we can convince La Maladresse to, at some point, play once again. And play it here.
~KS

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