I am the Avalanche - S/T

My best friend JJK pointed out that he couldn't find I am the Avalanche on the blog, which I thought was complete BS: How could I not post one of my favorite albums? Well, I hadn't. So here it is, I am the Avalanche's self-titled debut. If you're a fan of the Movielife, you'll like this even more (same lead singer, slower, more melodic pace). Bold claim, I know, but every song on this album is choking on energy, lyrics and guitars. Post-hardcore is a genre I've always appreciated, the balance between the harmony and brutalization of punk. At this, I would put IATA as one of the best in the genre, and this record one of the best in that category as well. I'm usually pretty good at picking what tracks I think should be singles from an album, but with this one it's too difficult. "Wasted" is definitely one, but then again, any of the others could make it as well. Try "New Disaster" as well. It has a chorus that is both energetic and melodic, all set over loud guitars.

1. Dead And
2. New Disaster
3. Murderous
4. Green Eyes
5. I Took A Beating
6. Wasted
7. Always
8. This Is Dungeon Music
9. Symphony
10. Emergency
11. Clean Up
12. My Second Restraining Order

Link:
http://www.mediafire.com/?zu14j445g4r598c

Funeral Party - S/T

Be prepared for a barrage of energy from the sound of this record. Funeral Party, an LA-based trio/quad, has made headlines around the world based on their EP, and reception has been outstanding within the ever-expanding "indie-scene." Their music can definitely be categorized as post-punk revival (Killers, Frans Ferd, Rapture), with scratchy vocals, harmonic interludes and electronics support by clockwork drumbeats. But the energy is really what sets this band apart as a premier dance-punk group. Never missing a beat or slowing down, this record is more at home in a small dance hall than a U2-sized stadium. The music is definitely in your face, up close and personal. I highly recommend it for a nice kick to your ears when you're feeling lethargic.

1. NYC Moves to the Sound of LA
2. Car Wars
3. Finale
4. Where Did it go Wrong?
5. Just Because
7. Giant Song**
8. City in Silhouettes
9. Youth and Poverty
10. Relics to Ruins
11. Golden Age of Knowhere

**This record's numbering is off and I'm not sure if I'm missing a track, but I also think it's more of a compilation. No worries, it's still awesome.

Link:
http://www.mediafire.com/?b37e1ngc33ajrrf

The Movielife - Forty Hour Train Back to Penn

The Movielife definitely has that edge that I've been missing lately. Hands down, one of my favorite bands is I am the Avalanche, and this band was the precursor. By that fact alone, they're up there with the best of them; underground, rough and honest melodic hardcore for the selective masses. These guys were already established on Long Island before TBS and Brand New started duking it out for LI supremacy. The lyrics are a first-person analysis of a variety of relationships, mostly ending terribly, jumping between hate and sorrow. Of course, for those non-emo kids out there, it's wrapped in a tightly produced post-hardcore package, boxed in snares and hammering power chords. The beat is relentless, and any breaks almost seem naturally placed for the listener to take a second to re-group before being audibly assaulted. The only time the backing instruments fade is to allow the snarling lyrics of vocalist Vinnie Caruana to break through. The energy in Caruana's voice does a great job of keeping the music going forward, without lulls which often punctuate some post-hardcore albums. Great record, and "Hey" is fairly accurate. I'll warn you, the quality isn't 192 VBS or anything, but it does the trick, because it's post-hardcore, and I'm a proponent of less-is-more when it comes to anything related to hardcore.

1. Face and Kneecaps
2. Jamestown
3. Spanaway
4. Kelly Song
5. Takin' It Out & Choppin' It Up
6. Scary
7. Hey
8. Jamaica Next
9. It's Something
10. Keep Never Changing
11. Ship to Shore

Link:
http://www.mediafire.com/?768b7iwwyx6sxq2

One more thing...

I added the easy "Share" console below each post (next to the Comment pencil), so please spread the good word however you want. Thanks!

Frank Turner - Love Ire & Song

Now, there's a few Frank Turner albums I could have picked from, but this one (especially now) has a little more meaning to me. Frank Tuner, across the board, is an emotional songwriter, but not 'emo.' If you've never heard of him, he's an English singer/songwriter, and while he has a full band, the music is acoustic guitar-driven. Song topics hop between politics, love and relationships, but Turner spends a little bit more time on the relationships aspect on this album. Upon first listen, you'll be able to hear the conviction in his voice, both in verse and chorus, especially in the anthems. This is the common theme found throughout all his albums, but this one is particularly catchy, mixing straight acoustic ballads infused with an edge of English-folk. His lyrics on this album are full of hope with relationships, which I think hits a lot of the returning readers of this blog, and why I'm posting this specific one. And for the record, "Substitute" is my favorite Frank Turner song.

1. I Knew Prufrock Before He Got Famous
2. Reasons Not To Be An Idiot
3. Photosynthesis
4. Substitute
5. Better Half
6. Love Ire And Song
7. Imperfect Tense
8. To Take You Home
9. Long Live The Queen
10. Love Worth Keeping
11. St Christopher Is Coming Home
12. Jet Lag

Link:
His record label didn't like this.

Tigers on Trains - Grandfather

If you haven't heard this album, you need to. It's acoustic indie-folk, and definitely one of the best I've heard (and I've heard quite a bit). Tigers on Trains are now part of the larger Republic of Wolves, but the Long Island duo have really hit their mark with Grandfather. The layered vocals of Mason Maggio and Christian Van Deurs provide variation that solo acoustic artists sometimes lack in indie-folk records, yet don't push the instrumentation out of the way. It's a delicate juggling act, and the band does it very, very well. I guess Cassino is the closest I can compare them to with a band I've reviewed. Go to their myspace page, check it out. It's awesome. Mature lyrics dash in and out of acoustic chords and harmony, to create a smooth, quiet album that never breaks the steady cadence that is intertwined throughout the album. Listen to it and you'll know what I mean. It just "flows."

I'll be honest up-front: the link below takes you to Simple Stereo to buy the album (instant digital download). It's $6.50, which for an album nowadays is legit. I don't have any monetary stake in Simple Stereo, it's one of my best friend's site, and if you haven't checked it out, please do so; lots of stuff related to the music you all listen to (based on you reading this), plus art and more.

There's no corporate record company standing behind any of this, just two guys making music, and my friend's appreciation of their work. Do them a solid, help them out.

1. The Grammarian
2. Sea Weed
3. Ship Shape
4. Muhammad
5. False Teeth
6. Silk Road
7. Reverend William Buckland
8. Painted Face
9. Just Be Glad That No One Saw You
10. A Year In The Garden Shed

Link:
http://www.simplestereo.com/?p=123

Matt & Kim - Grand

The duo of Matt & Kim were bequeathed onto me by a co-worker of mine who realized after a year that I'm into the same music she is. It's actually sort of embarrassing that I haven't heard of them before now, as they are somewhat big. Full of energy, this particular flavor of electric-infused dance-punk pulls from both new wave and punk, but combines it into one tight little package. More punk than LCD Soundsystem, the duo really pushes the electricity through the album, sometimes overwhelming the vocals and chorus which tend to ride on the beat of the percussion. The vocals are perhaps my favorite part as I have a special place in my musical heart for guy-girl vocal duos. Kim beautifully provides a harmonious background track while Matt's punk sneer punctuates the air, on beat, on-cue. The synergy between their two voices is almost enough to carry the album, and the ridiculously addictive beat is merely a cherry on-top. Definitely a toe-tapping album, and if you're not, you might want to check if you're alive.

1. Daylight
2. Cutdown
3. Good Ol' Fashion Nightmare
4. Spare Change
5. I wanna
6. Lessons Learned
7. Don't Slow Down
8. Turn this Boat Around
9. Ginders
10. I'll Take us Home
11. Daylight Outro Remix

Link:
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