Thousand Islands Records continues with releasing fantastic records and bands. This time, The Shorts from Australia deliver their brand new e.p. Punkrock trio delivers six songs of melodic, heartfelt punk with some fast skatepunk parts thrown in for good measure. I love the more faster songs like great Shady Ladies or The Drugs being one of my favorites on this record, short and sweet, but Sherlock and its midtempo is also great. The vocals are good, I love the harmonies on backing vocals, everyone who reads this zine knows how much I love harmonies, they are done perfect in awesome K Man, making great chorus, almost pop punk. Walls reminded me a bit of Nofx, early albums, being perfect midtempo energetic powerful punkrock song. The longest song on the record is a bit weird Gerard Never Made It To Brim, midtempo nice song with almost country touch I heard at the beginning, but evolving into nice interplay between vocals and backing vocals, don´t really know what the lyrics are about, but rather personal I think. The title song is also fast skatepunk anthem that need mentioning as one of the best on the record. I can`t wait for the full length.
American punkrockers Off With Their Heads released their new one, called Character. What we get here? We get 8 shiny songs of melodic, emotional, heartfelt punkrock. This is not music for the fans of speedy and uptempo skatepunk hardcore, this is emotional pure punkrock done from heart and having recognizable, perfect voice to follow the song structures, guitar and bass lines. This material is, I don˙t know how to put it, more calm, makes me wanna smile and enjoy the sunny day and have a break from all the rebellion, punk no bullshit middle finger in the air stuff, just hold my breath and enjoy the music. Keyboard in the songs, like in Always Alone, makes the melancholic and yet happy vibe all the more in the front of listener. Also, acoustic parts, like in Take Me Away are atmosphere pure. Great record. Check this one out.
Time for another hardcore band from New York to grace the pages of this zine. The Great Lie are from The Big Apple and this is their brand new e.p. What we get on this record are six songs of brutal hardcore with metal influences, also streetpunk in some song arrangements. My personal favorites on the record are Devilbox and Island, My Island. The guitar riffs are noise influenced at times and song A Game Of Horseshoes reminded me a bit of 108 in some parts. The vocals are angry and screaming and fit perfectly to the songs, also spoken word in Island, My Island connects atmosphere and emotions with aggression perfectly. This is great e.p. and I would love to see these guys play live to check out how this material sounds and interacts with the crowd.
KRAYKULLA-WEBZINE 