to quote erick sermon...

"don't mess with me, or i'll barack o-bomb ya"


http://barackobamaisyournewbicycle.com/

Redux: Fear Before the March of Flames

So a few years ago, my old band played our first few shows with this relatively unknown band called Fear Before the March of Flames. They straight killed it. Better than the headliners (Anatomy of a Ghost). Fast forward to a few years later and they're probably one of the best bands in hardcore (or whatever).

Even though I've purchased their last couple records, I found that they're not as immediate as their debut, "Odd How People Shake." Over the last few weeks, I gave a second spin to their last record, "The Always Open Mouth" and I have to say that the shit is genius. It's not like they're doing anything that's groundbreaking, per se, but it's probably the closest to Botch they've gotten.

So for my obligatory post for the week, do yourself a favor and check out "Art Damage" and "The Always Open Mouth" (and maybe "Odd How People Shake") if you haven't already. And if you do own those discs, then give them a listen and know that we are all a little weird.

Bonus Videos:


"The 20th Century Was Entirely Mine"


"Should Have Stayed In the Shallows"


"Taking Cassandra to the End of the World Party"


"On the Brightside, She Could Choke"


"My (Fucking) Dear Hunter" with Anthony Green

Dear Meghan McCain...

While it's clear with my job and my general political leanings, I'm as far away from a Republican as possible, I've entertained the notion of John McCain being president since the 2000 elections, most notably because he was pretty hard-nosed about campaign reform. Now he's a pretty visible frontrunner beating out both a Mormon and an Evangelical, which I can't help but smile about on the inside.

Still, because I have the card, I'd much rather see the youngblood that is the B.O. takeover, if only to someone that is a reflection of the America that I've grown up in (i.e. surrounded by brown folks).

With that said, I've been lurking Meghan McCain's (John McCain's daughter) blog. It's pretty fascinating just to see the campaign experience from the eyes and perspective of someone there who isn't running for public office.

The most entertaining part of Meghan McCain's site is her list of songs that she's really into. There are some surprising entries in her playlist: Bad Brains, Dead Milkmen, Girls Against Boys and Sleater-Kinney (my former arch-rivals). But for the most part, it seems to be some pretty pedestrian, entry-level college kid indie rock: Band of Horses, Kasabian, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Decemberists, etc.

Meghan, I think you could use a bit of an overhaul on your playlist. I mean, you're probably tired of listening to the same songs that Pitchfork was raving about two years ago, right? Here's a list of records that I think you could get down to:

Method Man: Tical
Meth's debut solo record has songs like "Release Yo Delf," "Bring the Pain" and "Meth Vs. Chef" which are all tunes that you could start a riot with, but more importantly, get you hyped up.

Death Cab for Cutie: We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes
DCFC's least self-absorbed record has concept songs about Kerouac, smoke filled apartments and loves lost to marriage. It's probably one of the best road-trip albums of all time.

That Dog: Retreat From the Sun
That Dog's poppiest record, Retreat From the Sun, has numerous fun jaunts that you can rock out to while you try to ignore the trappings out the real world.

The Don't Tells: Our Reunion Is Pending
A quirky band featuring Casey Prestwood (aka Spacey Casey) and his wife, Don't Tells play '60s styled pop songs about smoking pot and random sex. I'm not sure if Meghan McCain would like the content of the lyrics per se, but it's an awesome record nonetheless.

Fall River: Lights Out
Since Ms. McCain has the new Rilo Kiley (blah) and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs on her rotation, I figured she could benefit from listening to Fall River, one of the most underrated hardcore bands out there. Widely known because they were fronted by Allison Bellavance, whose vocal growls could stand up next to Coalesce's Sean Ingram, Fall River was a technically savvy hardcore group who've moved on the equally engaging Spark Is a Diamond.

just another 4 letter word: chasing coolness annual valentine's day mixtape

i'm too lazy to put together artwork, or provide links, but i'm sure if you go on limewire or whatever random torrent site, you can find these songs. or you could actually buy them. whatevs.

"just another 4 letter word"
1. the riverdales, "back to you"
2. brand new, "untitled 1"
3. waxwing, "where did the time go"
4. brighten, "ready when you are"
5. crime in stereo, "...but you are vast"
6. headphones, "shit talker"
7. the pharcyde, "otha fish"
8. gang starr, "ex-girl to next girl"
9. hunter revenge, "who's gonna love u now?"
10. name taken, "we give up sometimes"
11. mona lisa, "can't be wasting my time"
12. leeni, "perfection interrupted"
13. nightmare of you, "you don't have to tell me i was a terrible man"
14. whiskeytown, "under your breath"
15. tegan and sara, "call it off"

enjoy.

Eisley > Feist

On his recap of the Grammys today, my favorite mudslinging writer, Bol, dusted this bit of knowledge god:

"In one of the essays that ran with this year's Pazz and Jop, one of those fruits took Feist to task for being, essentially, pretty much any guy's fantasy girlfriend. And not a whole lot else."

And even though the idea isn't completely his (but seeing how the internets isn't about accuracy and more about "substance"), I, too, am going to have to agree with this sentiment. As you may or may not recall, in a review I wrote about Leigh Nash's solo effor, "Blue On Blue," I pretty much said that she was better than Feist. And Jenny Lewis.

Oooh beef!

I think part of this feeling isn't entirely on Leslie Feist's petite shoulders. Her music has just been everywhere the past few years and at some point, you just need to call a moratorium on that shit. It's the same reason you don't hear "Macarena" unless you're at a wedding or a birthday party.

Feist is just overexposed to the point where every nerd bird sexless indie stereotype is just going to salivate over her and her overrated songs. It's the same reason I dislike Paramore so much (replacing indie archetypes with 15 to 25 year old Hot Topic shoppers).

As much flack as I'm going to catch for this, it' how I feel, but a band like Eisley is far more deserving of this kind of attention. And I don't mean the creepy, leering male fantasy kind. I mean, they deserve to be overexposed in TV commercials and on the Muzak channel at T.G.I.Friday's. Even though their last album, "Combinations," wasn't as immediate as "Room Noises," it eventually grew on me, and now it's my jam.

But in the end, the basis of this entire post is fairly sexist, so whatever. I just needed something to rant about.

Go be productive. I'm gonna get a pizza.

PUNKNEWS.ORG!!!!!!!!!!

Punknews.org probably has some of the best commenters ever. The apathy shared among these punks is so great, that all you can do most times is just laugh. But today, someone left the best.comment.evar:

Sub-Pop -- Making Money, Taking Money

My Obligatory Post for the Week:

Dudes, I heard the Go-Team in a commercial. WTF?

head shakin', body rockin'

I was trolling through AP for whatever reason (boredom/tired of the MTV's "Top Model" marathon, etc.) and in the comments for the Hayley Williams/NFG duet post for "It Ain't Me, Babe," some kid compares the young Williams to June Carter Cash.

Um... WTF?

I could go on some long rant about how clearly misinformed the kids who post on this site are, but it never doesn't any good. And I'll probably rile up Anton "King of the Internets" Djamoos again and then it'll be this whole non-friendly back and forth on my comments section and I'll only end up laughing hysterically, not unlike last time.

So in lieu of entertaining misinformed (and possibly insane) Paramore fans, I'm taking the easy way out and posting a clip of one of my favorite hip-hop songs from the 90's.



Not that pop-punk kids would care about hip-hop that doesn't somehow involve Dangermouse, Atmosphere or Gym Class Heroes (and to a lesser extent, MC Lars), but whatever. They're probably scared of Black people, too.