True Liberty – Give Me True Liberty or Give Me Death
Live greatest hits plus three new songs from Christian punks True Liberty. I had no idea they have five albums already. Someone on Facebook asked if there would ever be a revival of the Christian Punk scene, and then was mad to find out no one had told him about Thumper Punk. But even I didn’t know some of these bands have been around this long. This album proves that True Liberty is the real deal, since they can obviously crank it live. I have sometimes wondered how many of the Thumper Punk bands are live bands and how many are garage bands or “studio projects” (which is not necessarily a bad thing, just wondering). Well, now I know for at least one. The live recording quality is pretty good, and the new songs are the same good quality of their last full length. So, if you are like me and not up to date on all True Liberty releases, this album will serve as the Cliff Notes version.
Cursed Breath / Innocent Blood
A split 12 inch from two bands that have been floating around the Veritas Vinyl universe for a few years. I know split 7-inchs and eps are everywhere, but it’s been a while since I have listened to a split full length. Both Slaves BC and Grace & Thieves occupy the heavier end of the music spectrum. Grace & Thieves start the split off by offering up three intense songs of hardcore with a bit of punk attitude, thrash intensity, and doom soloing. Wait, what? Victor Griffin makes a guest appearance on one song that adds a nice change of pace. Slaves BC is the second half, laying down four songs with even more intense screaming vocals and faster beats. For fans of intense hardcore, this split offers you a good taste of two bands you will want to check out.
Gov’t Hate Mail – Gov’t Hate Mail
So… yeah. What sound is this? Punk-ish hardcore-leaning “Northwestern 90s music scene” rock. It’s not that Gov’t Hate Mail is trying to do the “so weird I don’t know what this is” sound… or the “change style every song” sound… or even the “change styles every minute” sound. They just dialed into a sound that mixes a lot of different styles and then crank that sound for every song. For those that don’t know, GHM is comprised of two guys who were in bands like Crux, Empty Tomb, and The Clergy and one offspring from each. Sure, the first song starts off almost a bit mellow, but it picks up and picks up until it is pretty much kicking your teeth in. In fact, the whole disc is pretty intense – I highly recommend this for fans of any of the bands that gave birth to this new incarnation, or good punk/intense/alternative/rock music.
Basement Tapes
Not sure how to review this entire compilation without hitting each song individually. Which I don’t know if I have time for, since there are so many! I’m not sure why I expected more singer-songwriter songs, but there are some nice rock, alternative, punk, and electronic songs in the mix. Mike Indest did a killer job of pulling this group of songs together, and getting a cool Michael Knott painting for the cover to boot! So, you have Human 2.7 (dark electronica), Theo Obrastoff (rock with a bit of groove), Jon Jordan (one acoustic and one hard rocking), Jim Wiita (quirky acoustic), Eddie Parrino (soulful acoustic rock), And How (unique acoustic rock), Straighteners & Fasteners (experimental lo-fi). Jeff Elbel of Ping (cool cover of The Choir’s “Blue Skies”), the b-attitudes (alternative rock (capital R!)), Western Grace featuring Jason Groff (fiery punk), John Piccari (driving alternative rock), The Radiant Dregs (lo-fi acoustica), Dw Dunphy (lush serenades), and Mike Indest (groovy surf rock). Every song is killer. And it is all free! Check it out on the collective BandCamp site and give it a download. This is the new underground!
Eymard – Light
If you’re reading this then hopefully you know who Rick McDonough is. If you don’t, this is a good place to start. Rick is a musician, a photographer, a family man and a genuine purveyor of electronic wizardry. This eymard project of Rick’s is just one of many outlets…he’s one half of the duo that is Struck Last May with Michael Knott, his indie band is Hidden From Blackout, he plays in Paravell as well as contributing to While Rome is Burning, and I’m sure there is more that I just can’t recollect right now. So, on to this impressive release…
Eymard first released Ambient Tracks for Film:One back in 2011. This is a much different release from the first album; the direction of that project was full of surprises and sonic enticing. This release, titled Light, seems a bit more playful and energetic. While it is full of layers and dimensions, the layers all coalesce to form a grand design that takes the listener in. There’s a whimsical anticipation from the first track that builds through each and every song. When you fully engage this album it becomes very hypnotic and relaxing… almost as if anticipating the arrival of a newly discovered truth. At times it feels like the connection between dreams and ideas. I highly suspect that the birth of Rick’s daughter played heavily into the recording of these songs, because there is the unhindered sense of wonder that echos through each track. There’s a hope that reverberates with each listen. Each song plays a part in the story that culminates in the unique and joyous final track, where once again we hear Rick team up with Knott for a truly original song that can only be found when these two play together.
Do yourself a favor and get your hands on this release! While you’re at it, scoop up the first eymard release as well. If you like ambient sound scapes you will enjoy both of these albums. You can fill your ears and support independent music that needs a voice.
[2014 Hill Deg Maria Records | eymard.bandcamp.com]Wovenhand – Refractory Obdurate
I have heard three albums lately that have blown me away completely. I did a review on one of them (CUSH SP3) here. The second album to level my senses is Wovenhand’s new Refractory Obdurate. I’ve been a fan of David Eugene Edward’s music for years and have enjoyed everything he’s done. I didn’t know what to expect from this album. DEE plays guitar as well in the newly re-formed Crime and the City Solution, so stylistically I was curious as to where it would land. Well, it landed in new territory that demands you listen. This album is David Eugene Edwards at his absolute best.
This is an album that beats you up with every listen, it digs in your mind at every turn.
Not since Nick Cave’s Birthday Party has someone so violently captured the God of the Old Testament and begged for the salvation of the Christ through such desperate music and lyrics. There’s something so intense about Edward’s voice. His voice disarms you while the music drives it in without warning. It’s like he spits in your face to take you off guard, and then punches your teeth into the back of your head. Without notice you bend over to spit out the broken teeth and the pooling blood, he kicks you in the gut with his boot and you crumple…what happens next is that you turn to look at him, you lock eyes and say “thank you.” This album is a harrowing journey that beats the sh*t out of me every time that I hear it. It causes me to reflect, to question and to feel the unmistakable punch to the face of exorcising inner demons. It’s an album that demands attention at every turn.
This is post punk at it’s absolute best, amped up and swinging on full speed. When DEE plays, you listen…when he sings and plays, you’re put on notice. DEE’s delivery comes like spears to the face, his message is unrepentant and his attack is without defense.This is the best Wovenhand by far…listen with caution…you’ve been warned.
[2014 Death Wish, Inc. | Purchase: wovenhandmosaic.com]Cush – SP3
The new SP3 record has been one that fans of the entity CUSH have been waiting on for a long time. I was super stoked to get this for a review, and almost asked to get it sooner than I did just because I hard a hard time waiting to hear it knowing that it was completed. Fortunately, a little self control and patience paid off…in spades! In what I hope honors this offering of songs, I’m going to discuss the music first, and then a little info on CUSH last. The music here is the goal, the art is the destination…the players, even as is important as they are, are mere details standing next to the manifestation of the music.
This release has really blown my mind for numerous reasons, and the format as well as the art/video that accompanies each song is a really impressive package of art. The music that comes from this band is always unique and challenging, challenging in a way that is a very reflective experience for me. It’s an album that brings out the postive side of human nature and the emotions that coincide with that, as well as a very sombre and thoughtful dwelling on Christ that is deep and liberating at the same time. The music here creates a vehicle and relays the story through the ambience and the sounds of a very different style of Cush record than I’ve heard before. That alone adds to the aura and the mystery of Cush.
SP3 is truly the best album that Cush has ever delivered, and that’s noticable in the first song. I find this to be hands down the best release by whoever contributed on this record. Cush does not identify any specific players in the band, I have my lists of usual suspects that I hope are in here, but who knows. The music is absolutely the driving force here, and the talent on this record is of the calibre that I wish more people had access to hear it and spread the word.
It’s hard to convey it through a review, this is one that must be experienced through listening (with headphones), and really absorbing the sounds that are communicated. This gem is available on vinyl too, with brilliant packaging to boot! This quote in the bio summs it up…
“What matters is the attention the authors paid to detail, except the one detail of who the author really is. But all of this, even the delivery of this album, is a symbol of the concept of SP3. It is as if it cannot be helped.
And when you think you got it, allow for the possibility that you didn’t – and listen again.”
~ Jesse Nason
Support this release with your purchase, your ears and mind will thank you.
[2014 Northern Records | Purchase: cushkuxh.org]Secret Archives of the Vatican – Storytellers
Electronic world music outfit Secret Archives of Vatican returns with another new release of sonic goodness for the masses. I can’t count the number of albums they have put out (mainly because there are so many, but also because I can’t find an accurate discography anywhere) – but they never seem to slack off or have a bad year. Storytellers pretty much provides all of the surprises and textures you have come to love from SAotV. For those not familiar with their sounds, think electronic music built on various cultural rhythms and structures utilizing real instruments and electronic ones seamlessly and that is a good start. Instrumental, groovy in places, introspective in others – you will always find something to dig into. Middle Eastern tones still dominate this album as the last, but you will find tones from Central Asia to Turkey to North Africa mixed in with a few other various influences (some that even touch on Baroque). Available as a pay what you like album on BandCamp – be sure not to diversify your music collection by checking this one out.
The Radiant Dregs – Wire
The alternative anti-rock married super duo of The Radiant Dregs managed to take a break from releasing compilations of past material long enough to actually unleash some new tunes on us. I don’t know what is in the DTL Collective water, but every act is getting better with each release. I don’t want to sound like a broken record here, but if you haven’t checked out the weirdness that is The Radiant Dregs, you need to ASAP. Their sound is pretty much just guitar, voices, and effects – so “anti-rock” is a good descriptor. They are different, unique, but still enjoyable.
No Punk Influences – Fight Within
Loud, fast, in your face punk rock. No Punk Influences reminds me of… well… a whole lot of the punk bands that influenced me to like punk rock in the first place. Throw in some dark offbeat humor (a song called “Smash Hit” talking about smashing your radio and TV) and I’m sold. Mix in just the right amount of social revolution through the radical teachings of Jesus and this is bona fide Christian punk rock that you used to find kicking around Grrrr! Records before MxPx turned the whole scene to pop punk overnight. The press release describes this as raw and gritty street punk sung with passion and purpose, and I am inclined to agree. Not ground breaking or original, just authentic and sweaty the way punk should be.