Brad’s Top Ten
< author: The GRB > |
1. CRIME IN STEREO The Troubled Stateside MP3 | MYSPACE |
| It’s been a while since I’ve heard an album that has made me want to detach from American landscape and find a way to cope with a suburban nightmare. While most bands within the melodic hardcore genre seems to showcase some self-important elitism over the same octave riffing that’s been done to death, Long Island’s Crime In Stereo have avoided that. It reminds us of our complaceny..our heartbreak…struggles with everyday life..and it makes me want to move. Call me crazy, but it’s like an Aaron Cometbus-styled worldview over music that has elements of Lifetime and Silent Majority, while keeping it oddly original, especially in hardcore. |
 |
2. FUCKED UP Hidden World MP3 | BLOG |
| Jade Tree made it acceptable for hipsters to listen to this band. I guess this is the album that brought peacoats and sleeveless shirts together. There’s a questionable mystique about Fucked Up that makes you wonder if they’re really serious or just fucking around. I have no idea, but I’m amused and amazed by the talent and aura this band carries. |
 |
3 . SPANISH BOMBS Paper Bag Demo/Self-titled E.P. MP3 | SONG NAME |
| It seemed for most of 2006, Spanish Bombs were an unstoppable force on the road. They went on two tours promoting a four song demo contained in a small brown paper bag and in the late winter/early fall, they embarked on another tour for the E.P. that Chunksaah Records put out. These guys spent some time in some beloved NJ bands like A New Enemy, the Break, Let It Burn, and Robot Whales, and somehow, they managed to eclipse previous accomplishments. There’s a rumor going around that the band might be breaking up, which would be unfortunate seeing as how they’re already on a one-year anniversary. |
 |
4. END OF A YEAR Sincerely MP3 | MYSPACE |
| Emo-core has been a dirty word for years now. Tons of bands are flying that flag with the idea that uninspired high school poetry backed with fashionable clothes and hairstyles are the norms for the genre. I find it sickening. I might be getting ahead of myself here, but Upstate NY’s End of a Year are the definitive “true school” emo-core band of today. They even took their name from one of the pioneers of the genre, Embrace(uhh, the one from D.C.) |
 |
5. LIFETME 2 songs MP3 | MYSPACE |
| Maybe I’m biased because Lifetime might be my favorite band of all time, but I honestly don’t care what some detractors are saying. I like how these two songs sound like super-polished outtakes from their 1997 release, “Jersey’s Best Dancers.” It’s still Lifetime, but with a bigger budget. |
 |
6. PLANES MISTAKEN FOR STARS MERCY MP3 | MYSPACE |
| These guys have grown darker and heavier with time. They barely resemble the Rites of Spring/Split Lip/Farside homage band on their first record. I was floored. Even their live performances have become even more intense. Shit, I saw Gared stick his hand down his pants during a song. Now that’s rock and roll. |
 |
7. THE LEMONHEADS self-titled MP3 | MYSPACE |
| Every time I listen to this, I wish that they would have released this after “It’s A Shame About Ray” and left it at that. I guess Evan had to shake some of the well publicized drug habits in order to make a pretty rockin’ comeback album. I think he has the rhythm section of the Descendents to thank for helping him write this. Oh, and J. Mascis makes an appearance. |
 |
8. UNITED STATES DIVORCE SONGS MP3 | MYSPACE |
| Holy shit, this band really loves early Fugazi and Moss Icon. Brooklyn’s United States wrote a bunch of songs that sound like a late 1980s/early 1990s D.C. tribute album. Unfortunately, they came and went. They broke up after their record release show. |
 |
9. CONVERGE No Heroes MP3 | WEBSITE |
| People should get over “Jane Doe” and “The Saddest Day.” Converge continue to write songs that rise above the boring tech-prog-mosh-dumbass metal competition. It is a pummeling and frustrated affair, and I can’t wait for the next one. However, I must admit, I still love the songs on their 1999 split release with Agoraphobic Nosebleed. |
 |
10. FLEETING JOYS Despondent Transponder MP3 | MYSPACE |
| I’m going to admit something. I don’t own this and I’ve only heard one song off of it. The world must know that there really isn’t any need for a My Bloody Valentine reunion(OK, maybe I’d like to see one). I think the Fleeting Joys are doing a good job of writing a follow up to “Loveless.” Maybe they broke into Kevin Shields’ private Scrooge McDuck-like bin of recordings. I wonder. |
January 10th, 2007 at 6:41 pm
I LOL’ed at the “Scrooge McDuck” bit.