Cans - Blood, Sweat, and Beers Review

      I dig this album. A lot. That's the easiest way to put it. It's very tight pop punk with super aggressive vocals. Though the sound itself is much harsher, the melodic style reminds me a lot of Crucial Dudes. I genuinely wish this was longer than four songs. I haven't gotten too many submissions from Austria, so I'm glad they were the first. Plus, the album artwork is super cool. Definitely check these guys out, I give it a solid 4/5.

Alex The Kid / Columbus - Split Review

           Fun fact: This split rules. The five piece Alex The Kid and trio Columbus put out a beauty of a split. This album contains most everything good about today's neo-punk rock. The guitars crunch, the vocals are dirty, but on point, and the whole thing stays true to punks roots. I genuinely wish the tag teams weren't from Australia, so I had a decent shot at seeing them live.
          ATK's two song side is tight as tight can be. The tracks are up beat, catchy, and generally punk. On the flip side, Columbus' three track side is rad as rad can be. "Nothing" is a genuinely great song. This is one of the album's I've reviewed that will be kept on my iPod for my listening pleasure. Album is a full 5/5, I just wish it was longer.

Alicewell - "Wounds" review.

      

                     I'm still behind on these, and to be honest I'm a month behind on this one, so my apologies to Alicewell. That being said, their album entitled "Wounds" is not too shabby. I think it may be a bit of a stretch to fall into any sort of pop punk categorization, but I think it may overlap a lot of fans. There's seven tracks of pop-rock goodness on this release, and I haven't found a standout-poor song on it. These fine, young, Swedish gentlemen have done a quality job of creating music that can cross genres and draw in fans from many different groups.
                   The album maintains a steady energy throughout, with no lulls. Take it as you will, but the tone and attitude is almost identical across every song front to back. Some people may prefer the consistency, but I would have liked to see them change some things up a bit. It's definitely not breakdown music, but a little something would have gone a long way.

Tl;dr

• Alicewell (Eskilstuna, Sweden)
• For fans of: Taking Back Sunday, This Providence 
• Wounds Album
• Favorite Track: Wounds
• 3/5

Thieves - Colorchange EP Review

                  I'd never heard of Thieves until they contacted me regarding their latest EP, but after asking around it turns out they actually have quite a few fans in my town. I also once had a teacher who spent a moderate amount of time talking shit on the state of Texas, but these guys could definitely take her. Thieves most recent release is a thirteen minute spin of pleasure and grace. The Colorchange EP was released on 90 Five Records and production-wise, came out flawlessly. Music wise, I can't find anything to complain about. There is enough variety throughout the five tracks to keep you involved, but the band is very definitely planted in their genre. Genre hopping/stretching works for some bands (Brand New) and not for others (most everyone else), but Thieves know who they are, and are confident in it. This is a band I would actually like to see live, and maybe have them sing me to sleep.

Tl;dr

• Thieves (Austin, Texas)
• For fans of: With The Punches, Stickup Kid, Hawthorne Heights
• Colorchange EP
• Favorite Track: Colorchange
• 4.5/5

facebook.com/thievestx

http://thievestx.bandcamp.com/album/colorchange

Infinite Singal - "Nox Opus" Album Review

       Today I come to you with a review of Infinite Signal’s full length “Nox Opus”. “Why?” you ask. Well, because it’s my job, and with great music comes great responsibility. But I digress, this trio out of Minneapolis not only came to me for a review, but they ended up playing in my town as well on tour supporting this new album. Everything about this band screams “I grew up to [2004 pop punk band].” And while the band may not necessarily be doing anything progressively mind-blowing, what they are doing – they are doing well. The album has a smooth sense of alternating between lyrically packed fast songs (Z-word) to slower ones that get you in the feelings (The Sounding Line). Altogether, I don’t have anything negative to say about the album, but it’s nothing ground breaking either. It’s good, and very well written and performed, but it might not amaze you.

Tl;dr

• Infinite Signal (Minneapolis, Minnesota) 
• For fans of: New Found Glory
• Full Length Release
• Favorite Track: The Sounding Line
• 2.5/5.

Variants - The Concept Of Color album review

              This album kicks ass. There's no way around that. Variants' full length, "The Concept Of Color" comes out tomorrow, and you do not want to miss it. The album strays from anything you would expect out of a pop punk album today. The 11 track album comes on heavy, and lays it on thick. If you're expecting the upbeat rhythm and nasally vocals of today's pop punk world, forget it. The voice alone is enough to put this band on a path of it's own. His voice reminds me of some metal band I heard one time that I can't remember, but used in a much more melodic and audibly pleasing way. Between the distinguished vocals and flawless harmonies, the words are a true pleasure to take in. The music is no doubt heavier than what you're probably expecting, but I assure you that this is worth venturing outside your comfort zone. All 11 tracks are flawless, I'm off to see if they have some shirts or something. 

Tl;dr

• Variants (New Orleans, Louisiana)
• For fans of: A Loss For Words, Lakota De Kai
• Full Length Release
• Favorite Track: All of them. But mostly "Sentences"
• 5/5. Entirely flawless. 

The Black Sox Scandal - Forward Progress EP Review

          prog·ress [n.] - a movement toward a goal or to a further or higher stage; growth or development, continuous improvement

            The Forward Progress EP embraces just that. A three song release by The Black Sox Scandal focuses on getting over and moving on. The pop punk trio may still be relatively knew, but they have the distinct advantage of residing in the pop punk breeding ground that is the Philly/Jersey area. The vocals on the release are reminiscent of Mayday Parade before we graduated high school, with a distinct melodic style. The EP is good, there's no arguing that. Even if the style isn't your thing, there's no denying the talent put into this music. My biggest complaint is that it's only three songs, but I'm genuinely interested to see what else they come out with. 

Tl;dr

• The Black Sox Scandal (Asbury Park, New Jersey)
• For fans of: Mayday Parade, Head North, Bayside, Anberlin
• Debut Release: Forward Progress
• Favorite Track: Anchors
• 4/5

facebook.com/theblacksoxscandal

http://theblacksoxscandal.bandcamp.com