Joey Cape known for singing in legends Lagwagon, but also for his solo work just released his new solo album with Fat Wreck Chords and I listened and reviewed it for our zine.
Joey did fantastic songs solo acoustic and also acoustic renditions of Lagwagon songs and I love every one of his records. When Tony Sly passed away there was a big void in songwriting and creating fantastic punkrock songs. Now, that void is filled. Joey presents eleven new songs with heart, soul, melody, heartache. Fantastic title song is an ode not to give up when everything seems black and hopeless and piano parts besides guitar, drums, melody and Joey˙s voice make a totally full circle. Someone once said that solo Cape stuff are in fact dropouts from Lagwagon albums and this is not true, on the contrary material of this album is something far better written than most of Lagwagon˙s last albums, although not to get me wrong, I love Lagwagon very much. One of the highlights on this album is also I Know How To Run with so beautiful chorus and darkened vibe to the song. Not every song is acoustic, there are also full blooded punkrock songs like great Before My Heart Attack. One that deserves mentioning too is Possession with beautiful interplay between Joey´s and guest girl´s voices. Andalusia is in my opinion the best of the more guitar oriented songs on this album with mighty melody on chorus. Fall Down has that down and hopeless melody with guitar interwined with synth and topped with great vocal melodies. I would love to see Joey perform this stuff live, I am sure it is a unique experience. Superb record.
These UK lads play a version of emotional melodic punk not unsimilar to Menzingers, Hot Water Music, Nothington and similar bands, combining melody and emotions with the aggressivness of punk and blending melodic catchy riffs with ferociousness topped with heartwarming vocal lines. There are 5 songs on this record and I really can´t decide which one is better. Whether the unique melody of Crows or We´re Not Excited and speed hardcore punk short anthem Kill Your Heroes, all of the songs possess something beautiful that will bring smile on your face after repeating this record for couple of times. I want this band to make a full length very soon, cause it is going to be just great.
Reunions from San Francisco recently released their first full length record and I listened and reviewed it for this zine.
After first two ep-s, the writing and recording process for this first full length took almost two years. This album contains ten songs of beautiful melodic 90-ies punkrock with some emo touch thrown in for good measure. The music of this band can be compared to Nothington, Hot Water Music, even Bouncing Souls and I love every single minute of this album. These are emotions hundred percent pure mixed with ferocious rebellion of punkrock with lyrics created from depths of the soul that everyone can relate to. If I must recommend some songs that are like highlights of the record for me, that would be Present Past Future Perfect, Sentimentality Is For Suckers, and Slow Fade. This is a great record and if you are a fan of punk with emotions and melody, go get this one.
KRAYKULLA-WEBZINE 