Category Archives: Various

Reviews, Various

(record review)SOUTHPAW-“Disconnected”(FirstOff Records)

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We already featured a couple of bands from the small but excellent FirstOff Records label in this zine. The new addition to the family are Southpaw, and I am happy that I listened and reviewed their new record for this webzine.

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The album contains 13 songs, two being instrumentals and one being Jawbreaker cover.

Southpaw play melodic and fast paced punkrock and as soon as I heard “Blister” it reminded me of two bands that are not necessary your first bands to think of when you will hear this record and those bands are Jughead´s Revenge and Cancerslug. The production is a bit greasy but somehow crispy and the song hits you in the eye like a hard punch. “Disconnection” is mid paced punkrock with beautiful anthemic chorus made for pumping your fist up and singing along. “Hardline” is another fast hardcore punk song with a lot of emotion behind it and great energy. “Dark Skies” just somehow did not leave an impact on me because it is maybe too much rock and roll influenced song. I love the somehow downtuned but great guitar sound on “Slip Fix” beginning and the fast and energetic skatepunk hardcore along with the awesome guitar solo in this song, everything is just in place like it should be in this song. “Downhearted” is the song I can relate to, the rough but melodic awesome vocals giving me goosebumps along with great lyrics and for me this one is absolutely one of the best songs on this album. “Trouble” sounds a bit like old Black Flag and other old school Cali punk bands and it has a contagious guitar melody in some parts, so I caught myself humming it hours after listening. “Shadow Walk” again has that goosebump on my skin vibe with awesome lyrics and the song I can totally relate to as a person. I always love emotions behind punkrock, they may be stripped and raw, but I love them nonetheless. “Striker” is alright song, but a bit too long for my taste and the lyrics are awesome, but I felt like there is something missing in the song to be perfect. Two instrumentals are okay, Jawbreaker cover too. “Stagger” ends the record like it should end, loud, energetic, melodic and punk! This is a great record.

8/10

Links:

Follow the band on Fb: https://www.facebook.com/sthpaw3/

Follow the label on Fb: https://www.facebook.com/firstoffrecords/

Get the album on Bandcamp: https://firstoffrecords.bandcamp.com/album/disconnected

 

 

Reviews, Various

(record review)THE 1984 DRAFT-“Makes Good Choices”(Poptek Recs)

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For those who don´t know The 1984 Draft are from Dayton, Ohio and I listened and reviewed their new record for this webzine.

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Led by the mastermind songwriter Joe Anderl, these guys combine the sensitivity of pop punk and melodic punkrock with some darker and I dare say romantic undertones in their songs. The album contains 10 excellent songs for contemplating and at the same time enjoying the melodic riffs with beautiful vocal lines. The singing is nice and it suits perfectly into this band˙s opus. As I understood while listening, the lyrics are personal and easy to relate to. If I must compare the band to someone it would be like The Bouncing Souls meeting Morrissey and making an album worth of great songs. As for me, my personal favorite songs on this record are “Miss Ohio”, “Lutheran Heat” and above all “Lisbon Falls”. If you are fan of elaborate and melodic, also intelligent punkrock, check out this records because you won´t be sorry!

8/10

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Reviews, Various

(record review)TAIWAN BALEK-“Waiting For Growing Up”

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France gave many excellent bands and records in the history of its scene, this band is one who will yet make history. Taiwan Balek are melodic hardcore punk band from Toulon, France and I listened and reviewed their new record for this webzine.

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The record contains 6 songs of melodic and highly energetic hardcore punk. “No Arms, No Candles” is a fast 90-ies reminding song, with great harmonic melodies. “At Morning” and “Daisy” offer excellent mix of faster melodic parts mixed with atmospheric emotional parts in between. For me, the best song on this record is No Use For A Name sounding “Digital Soul”, punkrock song that had a strong impact on me as a listener being an anthem that I wished I wrote. “Minx” and “Big Box” continue in the song structure as the first third of the record and finish it leaving you wanting for more. That means, good record! Not something new, not something unheard of, but hey, it´s melodic punk and it˙s good, so get it and give it a chance or two!

7,5/10

Follow the band on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taiwanbalek

Bandcamp: https://taiwanbalek.bandcamp.com/album/waiting-for-growing-up