Feature: An Essential Guide to The Get Up Kids
Above is a link to a feature on The Get Up Kids.
Posted on AlterThePress on Wednesday August 12th 2009
Feature: 2009: The Year So Far and What’s To Come
Late last year we previewed a number of releases for the year 2009. Here at Alter The Press, we thought it might be a good idea to see how the year 2009 in music is shaping up so far, as well as what releases we can expect in the coming months.
The Year So Far
So far we’ve had releases from big bands such as Green Day, Thursday, New Found Glory and Taking Back Sunday. All of which resulted in being somewhat disappointing; New Found Glory’s ‘Not Without A Fight’ had its moments, as did Thursday’s ‘Common Existence’. Whilst Taking Back Sunday’s ‘New Again’ was lacklustre and failed to progress from the band’s previous work. As expected Green Day’s follow-up to ‘American Idiot’, was as ambitious and grand. ‘21st Century Breakdown’ proved Green Day are a very different band than when they started.
On the other hand, Manchester Orchestra, Two Tongues, Alexisonfire and A Day To Remember lived up to their potential. With ‘Mean Everything To Nothing’ (Manchester Orchestra) being an early contender for record of the year and Two Tongues’ self-titled delivering on the promise of a superb collaboration between Max Bemis and Chris Conley. Whilst ‘Old Crows/Young Cardinals’ (Alexisonfire) saw the Canadian five-piece turning their fierce brand of melodic hardcore up to 10. ‘Homesick’ resulted in being a surprisingly good record, as A Day To Remember produced a record full of heavy pop-punk weight.
In addition to this there have been a number of records that have come out of nowhere. It would be worth mentioning The Dangerous Summer’s full-length, ‘Reach For The Sun’, a record that glowed with positive energy throughout. Other records that excelled include Bayonets’ ‘Wishes & Wishes’ proving to be one of the strongest British independent releases so far this year, along with The Auteur’s ‘The Nightcap EP’, Portman’s final EP, ‘These Songs Were Written In Bedrooms and Village Halls’ and All Forgotten’s ‘Transitions’ EP. These all showed evidence that, British independent music is as strong as ever.
What’s To Come
The rest of 2009 sees a number of big names releasing new material, including Brand New, Paramore, Say Anything and Thrice. All are hoping to make a big impression during the closing months.
In addition to this, new releases from likes of The Used, fun., Tegan and Sara Farewell, Every Time I Die, Cartel, AFI and Saosin makes it an exciting few months.
Whilst here in the UK, new material from Wolf Am I, Frank Turner, Blakfish and Twin Atlantic will keep the momentum going, and adding to this list are big releases from Lostprophets and Funeral For A Friend.
Conclusion
So far 2009 has been a good year for music and it’s set to get a lot of better in the coming months.
On Our Stereo: Passion Pit - Manners
The latest ‘On Our Stereo’ feature focuses on Cambridge, Massachusetts’ Passion Pit’s debut full-length, ‘Manners’.
Usually I stay away from the indie-electro scene, however after reading various blogs and websites and finally hearing Passion Pit on my brother’s small local radio show (there’s a cheap plug for you there bro), I decided to give ‘Manners’ a listen.
My pre-conception that it would be over-the-top electro with guitars thrown in here and there. Thankfully this was not the outcome. Instead ‘Manners’ is a record that leaves you in awe, with its mix of subtle keyboards and strong vocal harmonies. The electronic elements are layered cleverly, and do not distract you from Michael Angelakos’ vocals yet at the same time control the direction of each track.
Over the course of 11 tracks, Passion Pit blend a somewhat 80’s tone, with modern day production and structure. It is a clever combination that will make you play this record over and over again, that by the end of the year it could be a strong contender for album of the year.
The key tracks to listen to would be opener ‘Make Light’, ‘The Reeling’, ‘Swimming In The Flood’, ‘To Kingdom Come’ and ‘Sleepyhead’.
‘Manners’ by Passion Pit is available now via Columbia.
Feature: On Our Stereo: The Wonder Years/All Or Nothing - Distances
(From AlterThePress.com 2nd June 2009)
This week’s On Our Stereo features not one, but two bands; Philadelphia’s The Wonder Years and Birmingham’s All or Nothing. Earlier this year both bands got together, and released a split 7” on No Sleep Records called ‘Distances’.
The Wonder Years contribute two tracks filled with pop-punk brilliance with a hardcore edge. Whilst All or Nothing’s 3 tracks fuse the same elements and at the same high standard; they are fast, fun and fierce.
Both bands are a reminder of why I fell in love with pop-punk in the first place and also why the so-called “neon” pop-punk scene has become generic, predictable and saturated, where it becomes difficult defining one band from the next. ‘Distances’ showcases two bands who don’t give a fuck about how their hair look or what myspace-based clothing brand they wear. Instead All or Nothing and The Wonder Years get down to business, whilst still having fun doing what they do.
For me personally, the split was a great way to be introduced to both bands and left me wanting more. Thankfully I won’t have to wait long. The Wonder Years are currently writing a new record, whilst All Or Nothing are releasing a split EP with Chaos Days on All Aboard Records in the near future.
‘Distances’ by The Wonder Years/All Or Nothing is available now through No Sleep Records via iTunes and 7”.
All or Nothing on MySpace.
The Wonder Years on MySpace.
Feature: Kyte - Two Sparks, Two Stars
(taken from AlterThePress.com 29th April 2009)
In the latest instalment of our regular ‘On Our Stereo’ we take a brief look at Kyte, a Leicestershire-based ambient four-piece and their late 2008 release ‘Two Sparks, Two Stars’.
Kyte make music that takes you somewhere else, their blend of subtle electronic beats and ambient keys paints a wide, beautiful picture. This is the band’s second release after self-titled release, also in 2008. However this release sounds more mature and to an extent, more epic.
They have released 4 tracks that will really take your breath away and each track having its own little characteristic that makes it stand out by itself, weather it be the cold undertone of ‘Eyes Lose Their Fire’, the electronic-heavy ‘Bridges In The Sky’, the dreamy cover of Peter Gabriel’s ‘Solisbury Hill’ or The Postal Service-esque ‘Lights Outside Here’ with its mix of layered fast beats and slowburning guitars. All 4 tracks will leave you with much to admire for a young band that create music beyond the years.
Feature: On Our Stereo - Weezer - Weezer (Blue Album)
(From AlterThePress.com Wednesday 15th April)
Today we’re introducing a new weekly feature entitled ‘On Our Stereo’, each week a different writer will write about an album they have been listening to lately.
This week’s On Our Stereo is about Weezer’s self-titled album from 1994. It is an album that combined grunge-like guitars with elements of pop and indie rock. In addition to this Rivers Cuomo’s skill of writing killer hooks, made this a record filled with brilliant songs from start to finish, with ‘My Name Is Jonas’ starting things off kicking and screaming its way through, while ‘Buddy Holly’ was the breakthrough hit single for the band, with its blend of power pop and indie rock greatness squeezed 2 minutes and 40 seconds. It’s hard to pick other highlights from this album, as there is so many. Nevertheless ‘Undone - The Sweater Song’; quiets things down before screeching through and ‘Say It Ain’t So’ is a simple yet effective track, as it surges through with a chorus that is memorable, heavy and filled with teenage angst, that is a theme running through the record.
Weezer’s 1994 self-titled debut has that rough 90’s indie rock sound but somehow still feels relevant and does not seem out of place with today’s music; I personally think there’s a hint of Weezer in Brand New. It is also a record that has grown in age and status over the years and is now considered a classic debut record, as it moved alternative rock music away from grunge into more upbeat surroundings and Cuomo’s songwriting has become a standard that has become influential and replicated ever since.
