bandoppler brings us March 25's intstallment of Your Music Review. Quick-hit reviews of Dizzee Rascal, The End, Decahedron and a few more. Some, um, questionable language involved here, so parents, mind your kiddies' habits online. As well, check out this interview with Spin senior writer Andy Greenwald, who's written an acclaimed book called Nothing Feels Good: Punk Rock, Teenagers and Emo, focusing on the co-opting of the original D.C. emo scene into mainstream oversaturation. Good read; the book was apparently inspired largely by Dashboard Confessional's meteoric rise to fame. I remember my former partner in crime coming back from the States in the spring of 2001 raving about this guy on a stage in Pittsburgh with a stool and an acoustic guitar. Back in the day.
Essential listening for today, an overcast Ottawa afternoon when I should probably be out looking for work: Blenderhead's swan song, 2000's Figureheads On The Forefront of Pop Culture. Hefty title, with a great album to back it up. Man, I miss Blenderhead. This was angular, shifty, almost-emo-before-emo-got-enormous stuff.
You wanna know what sucks? All I wanna do is check out radiotakeover once in a while, and yet because I use subpar computers, the news and whatever else simply doesn't appear onscreen. C'mon! Well, I guess I've done my bit by linking for all y'all with GOOD computers.
I saw actress Jill Henessey on The Late Late Show last night; did you know she's Canadian? Anyone that hot has to be. She can sing too! I think I'm in love.
Alternative Press put out their annual 100 Bands You Need To Know issue or somesuch; some highlights worthy of the ink include Moneen, Atmosphere, The Stills, The Weakerthans, Mae, Maxeen, Funeral For A Friend, Nora, Senses Fail, Roy, Every Time I Die and Killswitch Engage. All good bands you should be listening to.
A couple Canadian dates have been added to the As I Lay Dying tour with the aforementioned Killswitch Engage; nothing in Ottawa though. Doh! *keeps praying* [hxc]
Unsung: The Best of Helmet 1991-1997 is in stores now, and you should probably be running out to get it, considering this is one of the seminal bands of the last fifteen years we're talking about here. The compilation features stuff from all four studio albums, plus the 'Just Another Victim' collaboration with House of Pain circa 1992 or so. I want it bad. A new Helmet record will hit later this year!
If you were and are a fan of the dearly-departed Five Iron Frenzy, you'll wanna be reading this here. I'm stoked.
Some new music from Eighteen Visions and Ottawa's own Buried Inside: here and here, respectively. Oh, BRING the ruckus. [lambgoat]
You know your Christian rock band is big when: MuchMusic posts your shows in their Canadian Concert Listings, as is the case with Switchfoot's shows in Toronto and Montreal(April 14th and 15th). Oh yes.
This year's Projekt Revolution Tour(Linkin Park's now-annual trek) is to be avoided at all costs this year, with one exception: Downset are playing! This isn't official yet, but they're playing the second stage with, um, D12, and a whole lotta irrelevant-to-me acts are playing main stage. [theprp]
Nonpoint have signed with Lava Records; this means their new album will be out July 13th through that label. No title yet. Nonpoint are so great. Remember 'What A Day'? What a chorus!
I just listened to Emery's debut The Weak's End earlier today, and now here's a video for the first single: 'Walls'. [punknews]
Kenny Bridges, vocalist for Moneen, apparently has some "piano thing side project" going on; he'll be maybe recording a seven-inch for it at some indeterminate point. Vague enough for you?
In May of last year, Pigeon John rocked Babylon to its foundations, and the opener was this female MC from somewhere named Ndidi, and this morning(at some ungodly hour) on RapCity I saw her in a video with this other female MC, and the track was killer. Check this stuff out.
pastepunk is flat-out awesome. So much better than us it's ridiculous. Go! Now! They'll sing! And dance! And entertain you!
Isn't THIS intriguing! *quakes in anticipation*
virtualfrequency has been given a new look; head on over and see what you think, and get the latest on the hiphop music, industry and gadgets out there. This site is run, I believe, by DJ Maj. Booyah!
Squad 5-0's upcoming major-label debut has been given a title: Late News Breaking. However, it's also had its release date pushed back to June 1st through Capitol Records(aren't Yellowcard with Capitol? Yes. They are). That's from valued sweetdisaster source Dave Leibold, who will be reppin' big at the Juliana Theory show April 28th. C'mon out and say hi to him; he's the shorter dude with thinning hair and an almost encyclopedic knowledge of modern music.
Essential listening for today is a bit of a curveball from the norm arund here: The Crystal Method's new album Legion of Boom is pretty sick. Guests include guitarist Wes Borland(ex-Limp Bizkit, as much as we try to avoid mentioning them here), human beatbox Rahzel(amazing!) and even vocals by actress Milla Jovovich on a song called 'I Know It's You'. Highlight is the seventh track, 'Broken Glass'. KILLER. Also tight is the next song, 'Weapons of Mass Distortion', featuring some nasty guitar from Borland.
This here is pretty funny. If you're into sarcasm and irony, that is.
We have here for your listening pleasure the new single from Killswitch Engage, entitled 'Rose of Sharyn'; download it here. [noisetheory]
A Static Lullaby(Ferret Records band) have a new drummer, guy named Jarod Alexander. What's interesting about this guy is the people he's worked with prior: Death By Stereo, Suicide File, The Hope Conspiracy, Give Up The Ghost and last but not least Throwdown. That's some serious cred.
UK band Funeral For A Friend are pretty friggin' good; check out 'Escape Artists Never Die' over here for some fine, fine screamo/loudness!
A message from Unearth, one of the best things in modern metal: "The record is done, finished and complete. The Oncoming Storm will hit the streets on June 29th. This record is the real deal and is the best thing we have ever done. We put everything we had into it. A big thanks to Adam D. for kicking our [butts] and helping us make this thing rule. We are convinced you all will be completely stoked with the heaviness, dynamic and overall punch this record has." Amen, brothers. Amen. I cannot wait for the assault to descend.
A band that Ryan Berthiaume and I both like, ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead, are hard at work on the followup to 2002's Source Tags & Codes, aiming for a fall '04 release. Booyah. Check out their website for all the lowdown.
Black Eyed Peas are coming to Ottawa in the near future, playing the Capital Music Hall with openers Sweatshop Union, from Vancouver. Check out this article about some real hiphop, Canadiana-style. The group's single 'The Thing About It', from the album Natural Progression, is killer. BEP with Sweatshop Union goes down May 2nd here in Ottawa. [chartattack]
This is craziness: remember Alanis Morissette? She's done gone and gotten an online license to become an ordained pastor, and she's planning on officiating marriages of some of her gay friends, in opposition to President George Bush's recent stands on the issue. Innnneresting. [Relevant]
The Jealous Sound have dropped off the Switchfoot/Copeland tour that hits Montreal April 14th; no reason disclosed as to their cancellation. So if you're heading to MTL just to see them, you're outta luck.
This is great: "A Texas woman heating fish sticks was shot in the leg by a gun that had been stashed in her oven, police said. A friend of hers had hidden the .357 caliber handgun in the stove after she told him no guns were allowed in the house. Rumor has it that the friend really disliked fish sticks..."
Wanna talk ridiculous money? Jay Leno's new contract with NBC runs over a hundred million dollars. Sick.
The new album from Pedro the Lion, Achilles' Heel, is getting rave reviews. I can't wait to pick it up somewheres. Control was such a great album!! Go find it!
Remember Spitfire? Perhaps the best band Solid State Records had, they broke up a long time ago, and Scarlet are a band that came outta the Spitfire camp, along with some other guys from other bands. Anyway, Scarlet's debut, Cult Classic, gets the following writeup at bandoppler: "Two years ago, everyone went out and bought themselves a copy of Cynic’s Focus and Atheist’s Piece of Time and decided their band wasn’t tech enough. That puts every band that did just that ready to break just about.… hey! Scarlet just released its debut album, Cult Classic. Ex-Spitfire members and a few other schmoes posture their way through some surprisingly solid metal, redeeming their obvious "we’re dark and unhappy with American culture" cheekiness with technical prowess. Highlights are the very As I Lay Dying-esque 'O.D.' and 'My Black Hole Girl'.
Fun Spitfire-related experiment: Compare the intros to Dillinger Escape Plan’s 'Sugar Coated Sour'(Calculating Infinity) with Spitfire's 'This Ain't Vegas and You Ain’t Elvis'(The Slideshow Whiplash EP)."
Side One Dummy Records has put up a high-quality video page at their site featuring a slew of their bands, including Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Maxeen, Slick Shoes, Suicide Machines and more. This coincides with a redesign of their website, so check it all out here. [pastepunk]
Abacus Records has signed a New Jersey band(so many good bands there) called All Else Failed; no word on whether they named themselves after Zao's first album, but either way, I trust Abacus. For some stuff about AEF, check this out.
I saw the video for 'This Way', the new single from San Franciso's Dilated Peoples, and it's a great track all-around. The song features a guest verse from Kanye West, and the entire idea of the song is a great concept. Find the video on MuchMusic or MTV, and buy the new album, Neighbourhood Watch, when it hits April 6th.
In other hiphop news, Jurassic 5 are playing the Kool Haus in Toronto May 5th. I'd kill to be there for that.
I'm a big and getting bigger fan of the new Starflyer 59 album I Am The Portuguese Blues; I listened to the entire thing earlier today and it's just great rock and roll. More hooks than a kindergarten coatroom, I'm telling you. For a somewhat contradictory review of the album, check this out.
The big From Autumn to Ashes show a week ago produced some interesting pictures, as you can see for yourself by checking out junkedcamera's shots. Of particular interest to me are the pics of Most Precious Blood; man, they killed.
Duvall are getting some love somewhere other than this space: check out this review of their debut full-length Volume & Density, from some newspaper or website in Indiana someplace. Gotta scroll down a bit to get to it. Then read our review! [rockrebel]
The U2 tribute from Sparrow Records, entitled In The Name of Love: Artists United For Africa, has been released to Canadian markets; Salem Storehouse here in Ottawa has it in stock. The album features bands like Starfield, Delirious and Audio Adrenaline covering U2 songs, with a dollar from every record sold going to World Vision. Solid effort all around.
If you're a Switchfoot fan, you'll find this here an interesting read. Some good points made about big-time rock bands the media machine behind them. It's actually more a critique of radio trickery than Switchfoot. *smirks* Oh, and there's a couple bad words, for those offended by such things. You've been disclaimered!
Cursed, The End and The Abandoned Hearts Club are doing some shows as part of the MuchLoud/Exclaim! Aggressive Tendencies tour, named after the magazine in question's metal/hardcore review section(highly recommended); the dates are:
04.29 St. Catharines, ON @ L3 Nightclub w/ The Young Guns, At The Mercy Of Inspiration
04.30 Toronto, ON @ The Rockit w/ Arkata
05.01 Ottawa, ON @ Club Saw w/ The Chiodos Brothers
05.02 Montreal, QC @ El Salon w/ All Tensed Up
You do not wanna miss this one, kids. [qchc]
Essential listening for this beautiful Monday afternoon is Thursday's newest, War All The Time. I've owned this album since shortly after its release, but only now is it growing on me, because I've made time for it. Great disc.
I'd like to point out the fact that it costs someone here in Ottawa around fifteen bucks plus to see The Passion of the Christ, and I have an email here fom my loving grandmother(love you, Grams!!) saying that she paid THREE-FIFTY. This is in Michigan. Even factoring in the exchange rate, that's only like six bucks Canadian. Scandalous!
News update later.
One of the few reasons to watch MuchMusic - and even then only occasionally - is The Wedge, their long-running indie show. I remember seeing MxPx videos a long, LONG time ago on this show, and last night I was watching in the wee hours and saw a video for 'Escape Artists Never Die' by the UK's Funeral For A Friend. I was impressed. Mature singing - as opposed to the whiny, nasal yelping a lot of these bands employ - and killer harmonies. Check 'em out.
Also saw Dilated Peoples on TV somewhere promoting their new album Neighbourhood Watch(out April 6th). The video for the lead single features Mad Child from Swollen Members and fellow Californian 2Mex. This is progressive hiphop.
Ace Troubleshooter's newest album, It's Never Enough, hit stores this week, and I really liked what I heard. Plus vocalist John Warne is wearing a Poor Old Lu t-shirt in the photos! Sweet!
sweetdisaster enforcer DJ Omnifik and I were in HMV yesterday and I saw Thousand Foot Krutch on the rack in the hardcore section, right behind the latest from Throwdown and Thursday. How 'bout that?
Thorn Vs. Side is a new band featuring two members of Society's Finest as well as a dude from the much-missed Texas punk act Shmunks For You, and they're coming atcha over here. If the description "indie power-pop band in the vein of The Weakerthans, Jawbreaker, Alkaline Trio and The Get Up Kids" appeals to you, hop on board this rock train. [hxc]
Check this out; it's a cover of 'My Hero' by Foo Fighters as done by Beloved. In other Beloved news, drummer Joe Musten is filling in as Norma Jean's vocalist for their next three shows.
Out To Win has been added to the upcoming Welcome To The Family tour featuring headliners Stretch Arm Strong; they'll go on stage before Australian wrecking crew Day of Contempt. I've heard on good authority that this tour isn't hitting Canada period, let alone Ottawa. Boo! BOOO! [lambgoat]
A guy named Vadim, formerly of This Day Forward, has joined From Autumn to Ashes on guitar to replace Scott Gross, who's headed to splitsville. "Other musical projects" and all that crap. I guess it wasn't a border issue when FATA were here in Ottawa last Monday, as we were all told.
Going from losing to gaining, New Jersey band Nora(so good!) have added second guitarist Steve Chladnicek; he'll make his live debut with the band April 2nd. I always liked Nora better with two guitarists. Bring the chunk riffage!
Training For Utopia's best-of, Technical Difficulties, comes out April 20th; check the track listing:
01 - "Modus Operandi"
02 - "Dead Signal"
03 - "A Good Feeling"
04 - "Tennessee Midget"
05 - "Two Hands"
06 - "A Gift To A Dying Friend"
07 - "The Falling Cycle"
08 - "New York City Is Overrated"
09 - "Burning (Match In Hand)"
10 - "50,000 Screaming TFU Fans Can't Be Wrong"
11 - "Police John, Police Red"
12 - "Human Shield"
13 - "Thoughtless Reminders"
14 - "White Boy's Burden"
15 - "Brother Hezakiah"
16 - "Burt Reynolds Vs. Godzilla"
17 - "Single Handed Attempt At Revolution"
18 - "Pretty Pictures Of Lies"
19 - "One Zero One" (Alternate Recording)
[theprp]
Dude! Takeover Records - apparently one-time home to Yellowcard - have signed ex-Tooth and Nail Records band Craig's Brother. Awesome! [OGS]
After a protracted battle with my discman(no thanks to whoever stole my good one two weeks ago FROM MY CHURCH), I managed to get Glassjaw's latest spinning, called Worship and Tribute, and it's well-worth the five-plus minutes I spent in mortal warfare with technology.
Things are really hopping around here, as you can tell. Webmaster Flikkema has been on his horse of late, putting up all kinds of fun schtuff to spruce up the environment 'round these parts, and I realized yesterday that a belated thank-you was necessary: since I don't know the first thing about web design, the reason all those CD reviews and interviews went up last week is because of a lovely young woman named Vaalea(check out her website) who had pity on me. Weird how God works these things out sometimes.
April 28th, Babylon, Juliana Theory and more. Be there.
Essential listening for today is Project 86's 1999 masterpiece Drawing Black Lines; they've produced three great albums(four including their newest, Songs to Burn Bridges By that I have yet to hear), but in my opinion they've never come close to matching DBL, their second and best. Check out 'Chapter 2' and 'Open Hand'(tracks ten and eleven) for the best one-two punch I've ever heard in my life.
Check out Denver's Point Five Limey Records; they just brought a bunch of new stuff on board for order, including some Cave In, Give Up The Ghost and Aesop Rock(Def Jux Records; great hiphop). Support support support!
Ever heard of Josiah? Apparently they're bringing back spirit-filled hardcore; you can check them out over here. Download some stuff and see whatcha think.
Big hiphop news: Talib Kweli releases The Beautiful Struggle on June 22nd. I for one cannot wait; this guy personifies what I consider real rap more than almost anyone else. [Relevant]
More news soon.
First of all, the promises have come to fruition: we have a ton of new content, including eight new CD reviews over here as well as a new feature piece on a very good band right up above there, and a Billy Talent interview(Josh Chambers hates them!) in the interviews section(duh). Thanks for hanging in there til we managed to get this stuff up.
Now then.
The word is out: The Juliana Theory are coming back to the nation's capital. April 28th they'll be destroying Babylon(317 Bank St.) with their rock onslaught, and opening? Anberlin. Number One Fan. And Bayside. Gonna be a huge show, sweetdisaster'll be pimping it wildly, and you all will be there to have the rock delivered to you. Worrrrrrd up.
Pay attention here if you're a fan of The Rock(not the friggin' wrestler either):
4/09 Northampton, MA Pearl Street
4/10 Rochester, NY Water Street Music
4/16 New Haven, CT Toad's Place
4/17 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Polytechnic
4/18 Asbury Park, NJ Skatefest
4/23 Providence, RI The Living Room
4/24 Buffalo, NY Xtreme Wheels
4/29 Allentown, PA Club Indulge
4/30 Pittsburgh, PA Rex Theatre
Those are tour dates for Cave In, who are also recording six new demo tracks next month with Andrew Schneider(Converge). Again I say: worrrrrd up. [hxc]
I was flipping through the only part of Rolling Stone that matters yesterday(the Billboard charts), and to my delight Blindside's latest About A Burning Fire is sitting pretty at No. 39. Woohoo!
Underground hiphop phenom Stu Dent is preparing a third album for Illect Recordings, and y'all would be wise not to sleep on this one. Nephilim was a masterful piece of album. [sphereofhiphop]
A semi-large concert announcement concerning May 27th: Bigwig are headlining the Grind tour through Canada alongside Tsunami Bomb, Death By Stereo(great band) and Belvedere(another killer band from Calgary!), and May 27th they'll be here in Ottawa, more than likely at Babylon. Stay tuned. [buzzgrinder]
The upcoming Welcome to the Family tour featuring headliners Stretch Arm Strong has a new addition: Out To Win have been added to the bill; they'll be hitting stages just before Australia's Day of Contempt destroy the place. [lambgoat]
Nora have added second guitarist Steve Chladnicek(Spearing Jocasta) to their lil' ol' lineup; he'll be appearing initially April 2nd at a show in Jersey.
Essential listening for tonight is Initial Records' Black Flag tribute album put out last year, featuring the likes of Give Up The Ghost, Burnt By The Sun and more ripping up old Flag goodies. Oooooh yeaaaaah.
Horse the Band(craziest live show ever) are looking for a drummer - again - but more importantly I see here an Ottawa show scheduled for August 4th. No details. Yet.
Got a listen to Immortal Souls, one of Facedown Records' new signees. They're a four-piece straight-ahead metal outfit from Finland, and I liked them. They remind me of what Indwelling might sound like if they were from Finland instead of Arizona, but not as blackened in their sound. Let's hear it for technical virtuosity!
Oi, the death toll related to The Passion of the Christ has risen to two: a Brazilian pastor died watching the movie Sunday afternoon after reserving a couple of theatres to watch with his Presbyterian congregation. The complete story is here. [Relevant]
Essential listening this afternoon(two in one day, aren't YOU lovely readers lucky!) is Ben Harper's 1994 album Welcome To The Cruel World. Largely acoustic-based bluesy material; his electric and reggae influences came into play on later albums. This is where it started, and it's really good.
For fifteen-second reviews of the some of the best in indie lately, swing on over here. A little questionable language is involved, for you Christian kiddies. And then after that, hit this up for the latest installment(it's a series, yes). The second one focuses more on the metal/hardcore side of the spectrum: Thrice, Walls of Jericho, Stampin' Ground and even the new Blindside. Considering Round 2 was MCed by Roy Culver(former president of Solid State Records, Blindside's former home), it's not surprising. Booyah!
I saw a video last night on RapCity, song called 'Just The Way It Is' by Classified featuring Toronto female MC Eternia(she can rip), as well as Maestro and Ottawa's own DL Incognito. I think DL is from Ottawa. Anyone know if he's from Ottawa?
Today's essential listening is something a lot of you are probably sick of, but Alexisonfire's self-titled debut really is worth hearing multiple times, regardless of MuchMusic saturation. The boys are coming to Ottawa next month with Boysnightout and Blue Skies At War; more info on that when we get it.
Just so you're all aware, Papa Roach's drummer married one of Steven Tyler(Aerosmith)'s daughters last year. *nods*
bedlamsociety has a ton of new stuff up, including videos from Comeback Kid, Beloved, In Flames and Lamb of God as well as some new audio goodness from Ontario bands Keep It Up and A Day And A Deathwish. Lots of Ontario stuff in the news today.
If you're not busy and are also mobile, Saturday night at Rockit in Toronto, Every Time I Die and As I Lay Dying are gonna tear the place apart. If you're interested. Man, I'm interested. But I can't go. Booo.
Since they screw me over all the time, I'm happy to read that Microsoft was slapped with an enormous fine, in the area of six hundred million dollars U.S. Apparently they've been order to "stop crushing their rivals"(paraphrased). Like that's gonna happen. [Relevant to the max, baby]
Oh man: "A five-year-old boy took a bag of marijuana to school and was sprinkling it over a friend's lasagna like oregano when a monitor intervened, police said." This was down in Miami. Anyone surprised?
Actor Joaquin Phoenix will portray Johnny Cash in the upcoming biopic, while Reese Witherspoon will play June Carter Cash. Filming begins maybe as early as June, and I wanna see this movie.
This is pretty interesting: Project 86, who had their contract with Atlantic bought out in 2003 and appeared to be heading back to indie status, have apparently repaired some of their burned bridges with Tooth and Nail out in Seattle, and the band's next album will drop on T&N this summer. The band's manager, ex-Living Sacrifice vocalist Bruce Fitzhugh(didn't know that either!) said, "The record will be released on Tooth and Nail as a partnering with Project's Team Black Production company. This record is great and deserves to be heard and distributed nationally and internationally. We are excited about this partnering and this record." I can't wait. [rockrebel]
This is hilarious. It really is. It's also an obvious fake, and it has some stuff certain folks might be offended by, so you've been warned. Check this out.
Last night's From Autumn to Ashes show was apparently off the hook; I myself wouldn't know personally since I was screwed over and had to work on my night off, but I did see Most Precious Blood tear the place apart with 'Funeral Photography'; easily the highlight. Next time I might get to see a whole show! How awesome would that be?!
I've been a fan of Nora for a long time, and they just keep slipping through the cracks; check out this review of their latest, Dreamers and Deadmen(2003). And while you're at it, check out the video for 'I Should've Sent Flowers' here; thanks to noisetheory for the linkage.
There are rumours around - apparently false - that Senses Fail have left Drive-Thru Records to sign with Vagrant. Stephanie Reines at Drive-Thru, in her inimitable style, released the following statement: "Bands can't just peace out and go to another record label, and labels can't just randomly decide they want to put out a signed band's new record. If that's how things worked, I'd be calling up Dreamworks and thanking them for Jimmy Eat World. If the Senses Fail album doesn't come out on Drive-Thru/Geffen, it will come out on Drive-Thru." In related news, Senses Fail will be in Ottawa April 22nd opening for Rufio. [aversion]
Buck 65 will be performing at this year's Juno Awards in Edmonton. He is phenomenal, and you should be tripping over yourself to go buy his album Talkin' Honky Blues. He's a roadhog with an old dog singin' old songs...[chartattack]
Get this: Billy Talent are also playing the Junos' televised portion! Awesome!
This just in: the Newsboys' Peter Furler married Mylon Lefebvre's daughter! Remember him? The Broken Hearts?...ah, you weren't missing much.
Check it out: tour dates for the upcoming Moneen tour:
March 31 Whistler, BC @ Garfinkles (w/The Fullblast only)
April 1 Vancouver, BC @ Mesa Luna (w/The Fullblast only)
April 3 Calgary, AB @ MacEwan Hall
April 4 Edmonton, AB @ The Starlite Room
April 5 Saskatoon, SK @ Louis’ Pub
April 6 Regina, SK @ The State
April 7 Winnipeg, MB @ West End Cultural Centre
April 9 Thunder Bay, ON @ The Apollo
April 10 Sault Ste. Marie, ON @ The Oddfellows Hall
April 11 Sudbury, ON @ Caruso Club
April 12 London, ON @ Call The Office
April 13 Kingston, ON @ Clark Hall Pub
April 14 Ottawa, ON @ Babylon
April 15 Montreal, QC @ L’X
That Ottawa show, of course, is part ofpunkottawa.com's third-anniversary celebrations. Be there.
Quick update today. Tonight is the From Autumn to Ashes extravaganza, featuring openers Silverstein, Most Precious Blood and .hopesfall. I'm going almost entirely to see MPB rip the place apart with their new stuff. Have you heard the breakdown to 'Funeral Photography'? Sick.
Remember Quebec's The Kry? Oldschool Christian rock band? They're still around; I saw a new album from them on Metro1Music, a label I also thought had gone the way of the dinosaur. How 'bout that!
Sloan are coming back to the nation's capital; the band will rock the Capital Music Hall April 30th. I really wanna see them. They're one of the Canadian rock bands I truly like who I've never seen.
Nodes of Ranvier are back up swinging with a new lineup; they're part of the Hardcore Gone Wild mini-tour, hitting Chicago, Cleveland and Buffalo from March 26th-28th. If you're in those cities, go watch 'em tear it up. [The Scene]
The Passion of the Christ was finally ousted from the number-one spot on the movie charts. What flick usurped the position of power? Dawn of the Dead. How's that for irony? [virtualfrequency]
I haven't heard much of Coheed & Cambria, but several people whose judgement I trust rave about these guys; check out decapolis.com's review of their latest album.
Congrats to the Carleton Ravens mens' basketball team; they took the CIS championship yesterday in Halifax with their 50th consecutive win. Fifty straight wins.. That is ridiculous.
Showtime! See you there!
Wanna know how we Ottawa peeps celebrate the first day of spring? G'head, guess. No clue, huh? I'll tell you: it snows all friggin' day!!. Booooooo to crappy inclement weather, but here's something to warm your frozen little digits: Finger Eleven's 2003 self-titled album, containing the bomb track 'Complicated Questions'. Go listen to it somewhere.
Speaking of rock attacks, Starflyer 59 have indeed resurrected their rock god status with their brand-new album I Am The Portuguese Blues; an intriguing title referring to a great rock and roll record. I had a chance to hear some of it yesterday and man, has Jason Martin ever upped the wattage on his no-doubt-retro studio equipment. Highly recommended.
Moonlight Graham(aka Graham Greer of the much-missed Barstool Prophets) is playing Barrymore's April 15th as part of their Indie Rock Revue. Affordable, quality rock from a great singer/songwriter. Be there or we release the hounds.
I don't know how this escaped our all-knowingness, but the Tunnel Rats have a self-titled album dropping next Tuesday! How'd we not hear about this?? sphereofhiphop like what they hear, and you should all trust their judgement.
We gotta fix something: a few days ago we reported Zao coming to Ottawa May 12th, when in fact it's June 12th. Our bad. You will not miss this show.
OGS has a report of a forthcoming Cake record, the followup to 2001's Comfort Eagle. What a great band Cake are. I could just eat them.
....anyone? Eat them? Cake? C'mon, work with me here!
Apparently the debut from Rag Men, featuring members of Hatebreed and Madball among others, isn't the thugged-out tough-guy breakdownfest you'd expect from such a pedigree; check out pastepunk.com's review, and when you're done that, hit up another review, this one of the latest from Pulley, who were in Ottawa night before last. Anyone wanna review that show? Email itacs@hotmail.com. Pulley feature ringleader Scott Radinsky, whose other career, his day job as it were, was being a starting pitcher for the Chicago White Sox a while back. How rad is that??
Mad props go out to Josh and the ilubricateyou crew for putting on one heck of a show Tuesday night down at Ye Olde Club SAW. It was Is Grace Enough's CD release, and the ILY squadron brought in Hostage Life and Protest the Hero from Toronto, along with openers In Time and Ottawa noise butchers Experiment In Terror(who absolutely slaughtered with the thrash/grind attack). It was a sellout on a Tuesday night in winter, and that alone earns my respect.
Check it out: Zao is coming back to Cap City. Four years ago this month I went to Molly McGuire's down in the Market(long since out of business) to see Zao play, and they stiffed, and I was peeved in a big way. I've waited four years for this: May 12th at Babylon will see the legendary soap opera tearing it up alongside Remembering Never, Scarlet and Twelve Tribes. I'm stoked. [onegoldenspoon]
I was cleaning my apartment last night, right - it's cleaner than it's been since May 15th of last year when I moved in - and I found a bunch of my old Gas Compilation CDs, the ones 7ball magazine used to include in their issues, and on each one there's a section called Someone Sign These Guys, devoted to a couple indie bands the magazine thinks deserve a little love. Check it out: one from 2001 had a song called 'Even In Death' by a then-unknown band called Evanescence. After picking my jaw up off the floor, I then proceeded cleaning. I'll listen to the friggin' some other time. Also, on a '97 CD there were two tracks by equally unknown bands called Sixpence None the Richer(R.I.P.) and P.O.D.. Ah, memories.
Congrats to the Carleton University Ravens mens' basketball team, CIS champions after - check this out - forty-seven consecutive wins! That is seriously impressive. No college team from the U.S. came close to that this year.
Maroon5 was a name I'd never heard of before I read a bit about them in Relevant magazine late last year, and now they're shooting up the charts and playing all the late-night shows. I like them. Do you? They have some sweet, sweet soul for a bunch of white boys.
Word is that a Massachusetts developer wants to buy the Montreal Expos and move them to Connecticut, where they'll be newly christened the Connecticut Colonials. That is the stupidest name for a professional baseball team - or any professional team - I've ever heard. I vote nay. NAY!
Today's essential listening is a split(we've been favouring those lately, have you noticed?): Pax217's 2002 album Engage, a solid slice of rock/rap/reggae/honesty, and local boys Is Grace Enough's debut EP, Cross Your Heart and Hope To Die, which grows on me more every time I listen to it. Way to go, kids.
In other P.O.D. news, I was surfing randomly the other night and caught an episode of Cribs featuring the San Diego fellas; drummer Wuv was taking cameras through his Southtown home. His kids are Veggie Tales fans! And the coolest thing - maybe the coolest thing I've ever seen period - is that Wuv's mudder, Mrs. Bernardo, took the car pictured on the cover of 1997's Brown album(still their best) and had it mounted on a big ol' plaque. I want one!
As I Lay Dying, whose album from last year called Frail Words Collapse was one of the best in metal in the last couple years, are heading out on the road with Killswitch Engage and In Flames. This will be a mother of a tour, and while it doesn't come anywhere near where I can go, I heartily encourage all y'all to check it out. Some initial dates:
5/03 Pontiac, MI Clutch Cargo
5/04 Chicago, IL Vic Theatre
5/05 Minneapolis, MN Quest Club
5/06 Sauget, IL Pop's
5/07 Kansas City, MO Beaumont Club
5/08 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre
5/10 Seattle, WA Showbox
5/11 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom
[hxc]
One of the most original rappers in the underground, Listener, has a track called 'Rap Rap Rap'(catchy, huh?) right on over here, with mucho thanks to sphereofhiphop for the linkage.
Stretch Arm Strong, Terror and Between The Buried And Me are going out on the tour circuit in a big way, calling it the Welcome to The Family Tour:
5/11 Philadelphia PA @ The Trocadero
5/12 Baltimore MD @ Otto Bar
5/13 Charlotte NC @ Tremont Music Hall
5/14 Columbia SC @ New Brookland Tavern
5/15 St. Petersburg FL @ State Theater
5/16 Ft. Lauderdale FL @ The Factory
5/17 Orlando FL @ The Social
5/18 Atlanta GA @ Cotton Club
5/19 Memphis TN @ Riot on Monroe
5/21 Houston TX @ Club Fat Cat
5/22 Dallas TX @ The Door
5/23 San Antonio TX @ Sin 13
5/25 Phoenix AZ @ Mason Jar
5/26 San Diego CA @ Epicenter
5/27 Anaheim CA @ Chain Reaction
5/28 Anaheim CA @ Chain Reaction
5/29 San Francisco CA @ Pound SF
5/31 Seattle WA @ Graceland
6/2 Salt Lake City UT @ Albee Square
6/3 Denver CO @ Rock Island
6/4 St. Louis MO @ Mississippi Nights
6/6 Detroit MI @ Shelter
6/7 Chicago IL @ Bottom Lounge
6/10 New York NY @ CBGBs
No Ottawa or environs show. Boo urns. [lambgoat]
Members of Hatebreed and Skarhead are said to be involved with a new band called Icepick, and I mention this not because I've ever heard them or I think they're the biggest thing since the Beatles, but because sweetdisaster supporter DJ Omnifik and I think it's hysterical, for our own private reasons. Wouldn't YOU love to know! [theprp]
Bringing the noise from the extreme east coast, Newfoundland's Bucket Truck are about to drop a huge album on us all; no word yet on who will release it or when, but the production team are the guys who did the new Poison the Well, and the record features an appearance by Walter Schreifels(Quicksand, Rival Schools). I can't wait, personally. I worked with these guys a couple years ago, and they're tops. PEACE! What up Newfoundland!
Best band name of the day: Pygmy Love Circus. Yes yes y'all!
A bunch of news and fun stuff from the fine folks at radiotakeover: Moneen are headlining their very first U.S. tour starting April 17th at New Jersey's Skate & Surf Festival and wrapping up May 22nd in Philadelphia. Beforehand, of course, they're here in Ottawa April 14th as part of punkottawa's third-anniversary shindig, alongside Illinois emo kingpins Park and Oakville, ON punk onslaught The Fullblast. Holla!
Also, Horse the Band's 'Cutsman' is radiotakeover's fourth-most requested song!
Remember all the hoopla a couple of weeks ago surrounding Dangermouse and his mash of Jay-Z's Black Album' lyrics with the Beatles' White Album music to produce - obviously - The Grey Album? I still haven't heard it, but that's irrelevant: we have now The Black and Blue Album, a masterpiece done by J-Zeezer, combining Jay-Z again, but this time with - get this - Weezer's classic 1994 self-titled album, referred to as The Blue Album. This just gets better and better!
This fine Ottawa morning we have a treat for y'all: there's a brand-new internet neighbourhood making waves out of Denver, Colorado called Point Five Limey, a combined online record store, news site and interview cache. Right now they've got some fine reading about The Locust and renowned artist Derek Hess up, so head on over and hit them up.
Tonight is the CD release party for Is Grace Enough's new EP Cross Your Heart and Hope To Die, a fine slab of screaming and guitar mayhem. Come out to Club SAW(67 Nicholas St.) and catch the fellas wrecking stage with openers Hostage Life, Experiment In Terror and Protest the Hero. Booyah!
Flynn Adam Atkins, ringleader of infamous left-coast hiphop crew L.A. Symphony(who, incidentally, released a killer record in December) has an Official Release Date for his upcoming solo album In Like Flynn(natch), coming out on Illect Recordings: May 4th, 2004. Be ready, and be warned: this will slay.
Sadly, four thousand people descended on Place D'Orleans out in Ottawa's east end yesterday to see Avril play a "mini-concert" to promote her new record, coming in May. You know what's weird though? I own a burned copy of her first album, simply because I'm a sucker for pop. Always have been.
Today's essential listening is the landmark L.A. Symphony album from last year, The End Is Now. Between the flows, the club tracks and the intelligence, this is a can't-miss. 2004 will be their year if there's any justice.
A thought-provoking question brought to us over here; scroll to the bottom among the list of questions - the second-last one is the one that concerns me. Thanks to rockrebel for the linkage.
Blindside's new epic About A Burning Fire(man, I gotta get this album, and soon) caused a readjustment of SoundScan's tally after five thousand copies that were initially sold but not reported had to be added, bringing the first-week sales of the CD to 29,800. Amazing. As it says here, "The little band that could from Stockholm, Sweden prove they have inspired legions of fans and loyalists with their massive sound and impassioned live shows." Couldn't have stated it better myself.
Things are clicking here at sweetdisaster HQ as new personnel are brought aboard to help out. Be patient; new material besides news is coming, along with a possible content-sharing venture with The Scene, outta Orange County, California. Wait for it!
There's a hardcore show tomorrow night here in Ottawa; Since The Flood will be here along with The Distance and Final Word. Showtime is probably around five-thirty or six down at Club SAW; check punkottawa for the exact info. I hope to be there.
This is big news around here: Unearth's upcoming second album(and first on Metal Blade Records) has been given a title. Aptly enough, it'll be called The Oncoming Storm - dang skippy it'll be a storm...of METAL MADNESS!!! - and it hits stores June 29th. I must own it. Oh, and Adam Dutkiewicz from Killswitch Engage is producing this thing, so it will sound unbelievable. [lambgoat]
A band that opened for Unearth in the fall of 2002, Underoath, will be mixing and finished their upcoming album They're Only Chasing Safety, at Tooth and Nail Records' in-house Compound Studios later this month. Can't wait to hear that one either; wonder what they'll sound like with a different vocalist on board.
The Eagles of Death Metal, featuring Queens of the Stone Age mastermind Josh Homme, will be performing on Late Night with Conan O'Brien April 7th. I'll be interested to hear what this onslaught sounds like; I bet it's massive. [theprp]
These Enzymes are a new metalcore band with a new website to match, and the interesting thing is that this outfit features members of...Motion City Soundtrack and All American Rejects? What? Someone listen to this(curse not having online listening ability!!!) and tell me if it sucks or not. [punknews]
Good news: GGGarth is producing the new Rise Against album! Wheeee! A statement from the band reads, "We're stoked to announce that GGGarth will be producing our next record in beautiful Vancouver. You may know him from Sick of It All's Built To Last record or Rage Against the Machine's first record. We hit it off really well with him so expect nothing but the best from he and us. That is all for now. See y'all at Warped!" I love Rise Against.
OGS, who've really kicked it into high gear of late, have word that Norma Jean(my goodness so SO heavy mmmm heaviness) have named their upcoming third album Oh God, The Aftermath; it's scheduled to be out in November. Far too long a wait for me, but I'll have to be patient.
Saskatchewan's Torque Records have signed Oklahoma band Thirtysixdead; I've never heard them, but I trust the Good Ol' Torque Brand to cure what ails me. [decapolis]
junkedcamera, as fully expected, have some pictures up from the Boysnightout/Matchbook Romance show Wednesday that myself and two friends, all capable adults, couldn't even muster enough funds to attend. Pathetic. Go look at the pictures.
Reminder: next Tuesday(the 16th), Is Grace Enough destroy Club SAW(67 Nicholas) for their CD release party. Also playing are two Underground Operations bands, Protest the Hero and Hostage Life. It'll be a good time had by all, and I will be at that one.
Aight, here's your weather for Ottawa and the surrounding, outlying, valleyesque areas: snowing outside. It's still winter, kids.
Aight, here's your Indie Rock/Atmospheric Revue for the day, courtesy of a sampler CD I picked up at Record Runner while on a futile mission to pick up a ticket to the big Most Precious Blood a week from Monday. Booo.
Broken Social Scene - I like. Not a whole huge lot, but I like.
Tortoise - I don't get it. Maybe I'm not intellectual enough.
Four Tet - 'Glue of the World' is a dope song.
The Stills - very polished, banging indie action. I like. A lot.
Raising The Fawn - not bad. Indifferent at best. Songs under eight minutes'd be nice.
Ta da!
We have a District 7 feature piece upcoming here at the ol' Disaster; publication has been held up by some legal snares the band is going through. Wait for it. Y'all ain't ready!!
Today's essential listening: Comeback Kid's 2003 release Turn It Around, which landed on a lot of 'zinester types' best-of lists. I listened to it this morning, and oh my heavens it's so good. As well, the band recently shot a video for 'Lorelei', the last track on the album; check it out over here. [Bring it, buzzgrinder]
Oh, and when you've moshed your living room to pieces with the CBK video, check out '94 Hours' from As I Lay Dying. Yeeeeeeah baby.
Two new shows have been added to May's massive P.O.D./Blindside tour, including - heavens! - a Canadian date, June 11th in Vancouver at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. As well, May 29th will see the boom drop in Philadelphia at the Electric Factory.
This Just In: sweetdisaster's interview with hiphop fiend Sev Statik is in; look for that at some indeterminate point in the future. We're pretty lax on deadlines around here. As you may have noticed.
This Just In Part Deux: Rapture of the Meek kill.
Just a reminder for the kiddies out there: Switchfoot are playing Jay Leno Friday(that's the 12th) to kick off a big ol' tour with The Jealous Sound that will see them in Toronto April 14th(Opera House) and Montreal the next night at Club Soda. I wonder if I can go to the MTL show.
Just a reminder for the kiddies out there: Switchfoot are playing Jay Leno Friday(that's the 12th) to kick off a big ol' tour with The Jealous Sound that will see them in Toronto April 14th(Opera House) and Montreal the next night at Club Soda. I wonder if I can go to the MTL show.
Some big things going on around here today. A) It's a gorgeous pre-spring day, just the like rest of the days have been lately, thank God. B) Got an uber-interesting email from Shawn Scallen at punkottawa; their third anniversary party drops the boom April 14th at Babylon(317 Bank St.), featuring - steady now - The Fullblast, Park and Moneen, with more featured acts to come, if my information is correct. Hot diggity! I saw the latter two bands play together at The Underground two years ago now, and they're solid. I don't think I need to describe Moneen and the breakout year or so they've had. As well, this little extravaganza will feature Brian and Tyler from junkedcamera jumping out of a cake! I'd go just for that! Ten bucks in advance, twelve at the door. Be there.
Continuing that alphabetical thread, C) we've brought on a new webslave here at sd.com; her name's Laura and she's from Vancouver. Expect big things when we can get our schedules coordinated. We've been writing loads of CD reviews and the like.
Essential listening today is a repeat and a newcomer: Living Sacrifice's seminal 1997 album Reborn(oh MY heavens) and Moonlight Graham's debut album Palookaville, which came out last year. Graham is aka Graham Greer, ex-vocalist for '90s rock and roll fiends Barstool Prophets, and you'd be wise to check this here out for all his action.
Check this out and tell me if you spot the irony. Geez.
Nickelback and Three Days Grace are doing some shows down in Australia at some point.
....and still no one cares.
For the hockey fans out there, and even just the folks who've seen the replays endless times on the news: the suckerpunch Todd Bertuzzi laid on Steve Moore was sickening, yes, and because one of my jobs is working with a quadruplegic I lost a fair bit of sleep the last couple nights thinking about Moore and the fact this kid who's no older than me might never walk again. However, he's expected to make a full recovery, Bertuzzi has been handed a massive penalty by the NHL(suspended for the rest of the season including Vancouver's now-undoubtedly shortened playoff run), and the team has been fined a quarter of a million dollars. Bertuzzi has apologized, and you reading this almost assuredly have no idea what the man is going through. Pray for him and Moore and the people around them - and move on. That's the rant for today.
In other hockey news, there's a Los Angeles Kings player by the name of Derek Morris who as of last night had played four games with four different teams in four straight nights. That's just sadistic.
DJ Jazzy Jeff hosted RapCity on MuchMusic last night, and it showed: they ran classic hiphop videos by the likes of Method Man('Bring The Pain'), The Pharcyde('Drop'!!) and more. It was awesome. Guess you had to be there.
Tracy McGrady brought the ruckus last night, kids. Sixty points in a game? Sick!
In its fourth week out, Norah Jones' new record Home sold 204,000 copies, maintaining its stranglehold on No. 1 on the Billboard charts. At least she deserves to be there! There's hope yet! [Relevant]
The Score's beat correspondent for the Calgary Flames, Deb Mateicka, is severely attractive. Someone wanna ask her to marry me on my behalf? Thanks.
For your indie rap fix of the day, check out Stu Dent's joint 'That's It' right on over here. You ain't ready for this!!
Last year's Honda Civic tour featured New Found Glory and Good Charlotte(with the mighty Stretch Arm Strong opening for a string of dates); this year's edition begins May 13th in Maine, featuring co-headliners Thrice and...Dashboard Confessional? Weird.
05.13.04 - Portland, ME (Cumberland Civic Center)
05.16.04 - Niagara Falls, NY (Dome Theatre)
05.18.04 - Cleveland, OH (Tower City Amphitheatre)
05.19.04 - Cincinnati, OH (Riverbend Music Center)
05.20.04 - Clarkston, MI (DTE Energy Music Theatre)
05.21.04 - Rosemont, IL (Allstate Arena)
05.22.04 - Minneapolis, MN (Target Center)
05.23.04 - Grand Forks, ND (Alerus Center)
05.25.04 - Clive, IA (7 Flags Event Center)
05.26.04 - Saint Louis, MO (The Pageant)
05.27.04 - Kansas City, MO (City Market)
05.28.04 - Denver, CO (Fillmore Auditorium)
05.29.04 - West Valley City, UT (E Center)
06.01.04 - Seattle, WA (Exhibition Hall @ Seattle Center)
06.02.04 - Portland, OR (Metropolitan Expo Center)
06.03.04 - San Jose, CA (Event Center Arena)
06.04.04 - Los Angeles, CA (Greek Theatre)
06.05.04 - Las Vegas, NV (Orleans Arena)
06.06.04 - San Diego, CA (Cox Arena)
06.08.04 - Mesa, AZ (Mesa Amphitheatre)
06.10.04 - Austin, TX (Stubb's Barbeque)
06.11.04 - Grand Prairie, TX (Nokia Live)
06.12.04 - Houston, TX (Reliant Arena @ Reliant Park)
06.14.04 - Tampa, FL (USF Dome)
06.15.04 - Pompano Beach, FL (Pompano Beach Amphitheatre)
06.16.04 - Orlando, FL (House Of Blues)
06.17.04 - Orlando, FL (House Of Blues)
06.18.04 - Orlando, FL (House Of Blues)
06.19.04 - Duluth, GA (P.A.C. @ Gwinnett Center)
06.20.04 - Myrtle Beach, SC (House Of Blues)
06.22.04 - Cary, NC (Regency Park)
06.23.04 - Portsmouth, VA (NTELOS Pavilion @ Harbor Center)
06.24.04 - Columbia, MD (Merriweather Post) 03-10-04 - 11:35 am
[Bring the ruckus ON, Relevant!]
I saw a rerun of Story of the Year performing on The Late Late Show(that's the one hosted by Kilborne, for those of you keeping score at home), and while I'm not their biggest fan, they tore it up on the idiot box. The vocalist even rocked a Sick Of It All t-shirt!
The resident content genius here at sweetdisaster has been on a prolific writing tear lately, so here's hoping it continues, because then YOUR band/label's CD might get its fifteen nanoseconds of fame!
It's been a long time since we got an email from the fine folks at Solid State Records, but they've been busy. I saw the new album from Haste The Day, called Burning Bridges, on the shelf at my Friendly Local Christian Retailer, and believe me, if it's here in Canada's capital, it's for sure at your local joint. Pick it up. Is 'Substance' on it? I don't know for sure yet. Great song!
The Solid State Tour(second of its kind, following up last fall's successful trek) kicks off today in Arkansas, check out the dates over here, and catch Underoath, Beloved, Norma Jean, Haste The Day and Dead Poetic wrecking stage somewhere near you.
In related news, Beloved's video for 'Aimless Endeavour' was the most-streamed video at MTVU.com last week. It beat out the likes of Blink-182 and others of their kind. Awesome.
Speaking of touring, the 'Welcome To The Family 2004' jaunt will begin next month and go through May. Check this out: Terror, Australia's Day of Contempt, Between The Buried And Me, and headliners Stretch Friggin' Arm Strong. Oh MY goodness. Dates are coming out shortly, from what we hear.
Check this here out for an exclusive interview with Sonny Sandoval, vocalist for your favourites and mine, P.O.D.. The interview was conducted by HM magazine's managing editor David Allen, and I for one shall read it.
U2 is planning to release a full-color photo anthology, In the Name of Love: U2 by U2, around the same time of their new album. Currently, U2 is busy courting prospective publishers with a sneak peek of this highly anticipated book due out in 2005.
And I for one will own it.
According to this here, coffee may do more than keep me awake, it might help me fend off diabetes! More pro-coffee propaganda! [Thass right, Relevant]
This just in from southern Ontario: Keep It Up's brand-new website replete with mp3s and other goodies has been put up on the big ol' web! Run along and check that goodness out, and hope they bring their dog-and-pony show up to Cap City before too long. What up, Phil?
Duvall are truly something special; their press sheet says they're trying to break into the Christian market, of all things, but the plain fact is that these dudes write amazing, killer rock songs. What choruses! What guitar tone! What honesty! I can't rave enough, so I'll shut up and direct you over to their website, so you can see and hear for yourself. I hope these guys explode. Thanks to Lori Lenz for the hookup, too.
New School Records is planning on a summer release for Makeshift3's brand-new disc, Fluorescent Black. I interviewed these guys like two and a half years ago, for another 'zine I was involved with, and they're tops. Check out their website when you're through devouring Duvall's!
Speaking of websites, Stavesacre's has been revamped. Today is International Promote Everybody's Website day. Didn't you know? You didn't get that memo? Stavesacre also have some shows lined up. Check it out:
04.23.2004 - Emo's / Austin, TX
04.24.2004 - The Door / Dallas, TX Elm St./Deep Ellum
04.25.2004 - TBA / Houston, TX
Some more dates have been added to the upcoming Juliana Theory/Anberlin tour; no word yet on whether Ottawa or eastern Canada will see any of the rock action. We'll let you know. In the meantime, if you live somewhere that actually GETS shows, check this out.
Lucerin Blue are hitting the road again. Ta da!
March 11th- The Shelter, Detroit, MI (an 89X special presentation)
12th- TBA (Michigan....somewhere)
13th- The Eclipse, Buchanan MI
14th- Common Grounds, Taylorville, IL
16th- The Mustard Tree, Claremore (Tulsa) OK
18th- Dreamworld, Arlington TX
19th- The Door, Dallas TX w/ disciple
20th- The Revelation Room, Canton TX
The following dates are alongside Off The Record and April Sixth(Elektra Records):
March 22 - Reids Pit Stop, 1251 Commerce / Longview, WA
March 24 - Paris Theater, 6 SW Third / Portland, OR 503 224-8313
March 25 - Studio 7110, S. Horton / Seattle, WA
March 26 - Roxy Theater, 270 4th Street / Bremerton, WA
March 27 - Cataldo Hall, Gonzaga University(headed to the Final Four, baby! -ed) / GU Campus Ministires / Spokane, WA
March 28 - Club Adrian, 5601 S. Puget sound Avenue / Tacoma, WA
March 30 - Albee Square, 850 S. Richards / Salt Lake City, UT
April 1 - Xtreme Room College Union Bldg., Ft. Lewis College, 100 Rim Drive /
Durango, CO
April 2 - Electric Theater, 68 E. Tabernacle / St. George, UT
April 3 - Club 209, 209 N. Montezuma / Prescott, AZ
Crap! Guitarist Scott Dempsey, after twelve years with the band he helped found, has decided to leave Stretch Arm Strong. For details, check out the band's website. [Rock on, OGS]
Wheeee! I'm vindicated! Coffee DOES have benefits! Check this here out, and bubble up another pot of caffeinated goodness! [pastepunk brung us this action!]
One of the hardest-working guys in hardcore, Hatebreed vocalist Jamey Jasta, has an interview with Winnipeg hxc crew Comeback Kid up on his website; go hit that up. I know I'm going there after I get this here done.
Alexisonfire's newest video is so funny; it's a spoof of the new video from G-Unit, and it has to be seen to be believed. Download it somewhere.
Remember Biohazard? Great NYC hardcore band(Brooklyn, I believe); one of the first I ever heard way back when. Anyway, ringleader Evan Seinfeld was on Oz last night. He's a big lad.
Two rather intimidating sales figures for those who care about such things: Evanescence's debut Fallen has been certified as 4X platinum, meaning it's sold over four million copies in the United States alone; as well, The Passion of the Christ(still haven't seen it, and won't for a while looks like) raked in - get this - $125 million in its first five days in theatres. Crazy money.
7-10 Split's profile is steadily rising; they have a new record coming out soon on New School Records, and they're touring come May with Eulogy Records' phenoms Calico System. That'll be a weird bill, unless 7-10 have changed their sound - like a lot. [theprp]
Warner Music Group was recently sold to an uber-rich dude named Edgar Bronfman, Jr.(I believe of Montreal); apparently a hundred thousand people are gonna be out of work. A hundred thousand people? Where do all these jobs come from? Is 'coffee wench' a paid position at Warner? Man, I'm glad most of the music I love is made by small labels. [thescout]
Stolen again from The Scout: "Props go out to Side One Dummy Records, whose gutter punkers The Casualties sold 6,320 copies of their new CD On The Front Lines the first week, missing the Billboard top 200 by 30 copies."
xDisciplex A.D. are playing their last-ever show at the upcoming Facedown Fest in SoCal; however, I'm not posting about that, I'm just saying here and now that for the last almost-decade they've killed, and I'm gonna miss them. 'Age of Reason' is such a great song.
From punknews: "Please come see Madball, H2O, Shai Hulud, and Poughkeepsie heavyweights My Bitter End at The Chance Theater on Sunday March 14, 2004." This is in Poughkeepsie, apparently Shai Hulud's hometown. I thought they were from Florida.
The Cross Movement, I just found out, have the highest-ever charting Christian rap record on the Billboard charts! How 'bout that? Presumably we're talking about their latest, Holy Culture. Good CD.
Montreal's A Perfect Murder's Victory Records debut Unbroken comes out this July; expect a Canadian tour to follow it up. As well, Earth Crisis vocalist Karl Buechner is working on a track with APM called 'No Truce'. Should be good, breakdown-y, thicknecked hardcore action.
Not sure when this was posted or how it escaped our scrutiny here at sweetdisaster, but check out this here interview with one of the best metal bands out there: Every Time I Die, baby, yeah!!
Before we get to the music, check it out: my Ottawa Senators were in Philadelphia last night for a game at the Wachovia Centre; it was billed as a grudge match after last week's incident wherein Senators winger Martin Havlat took a stick to the face of the Flyers' Mark Recchi. Well, then. Let me tell you, there was a brawl at the end of this game that wound up breaking the record for penalty minutes in a game(the two teams amassed 419 PIM between them when it was all said and done), and the highlight was our boy Mike Fisher(we got an interview with him coming up) dropping the Flyers' Michael Handzus, easily a foot taller than Fisher. One righthanded haymaker and down he went. I'm not a proponent of fighting in hockey, but man, this was fun to watch. There was a total of something like ten players left on the benches when the final buzzer went - both teams combined.
In related news, the Tampa Bay Lightning are 38-18 as of today. What? The who?? When'd they get so good? They're like number one in the league!
And now, the news you care about.
Mississauga's One Cross have a busy spring coming; they're heading to Nashville for a few showcase performances at the Gospel Music Awards week of festivities, as well as playing a show with John Reuben and Bleach in Rochester, NY. All the fun details are available over here.
Check out this interview with Guelph, Ontario's Royal City; I saw these guys a year and a half ago with The Constantines and liked them a lot, even if my friend said, "These guys make me want to kill myself." My friend is weird. Read.
Today's essential listening is a Christian underground classic. Check it out: Plankeye today have a rep as a nice, poppy contemporary band, but their album The Spark(1994, Tooth & Nail Records) laid the punk rock groundwork for a ton of bands that came after, and it's still a marvelous listen. 'Open House' still kills, baby! This is so good I'm dancing in my chair! No joke! Those who know me know I'm not kidding! WHOOOOOO!!!
The new issue of HM mag, something I've been reading religiously since I was fifteen(almost a decade now, imagine that) has some great stuff; I still have my qualms about the layout being really tough to read/decipher in places, but good content is good content, and I'm a content man first and foremost. Here, then, are some highlights:
- did you know former Five Iron Frenzy drummer Andrew Verdecchio is now behind the kit for Yellow Second, reuniting him with long-ago FIF guitarist Scott Kerr? Kerr is the one who wrote the music for 'Every New Day', Five Iron's lasting testament, and this 'zinester's all-time favourite song.
- managing editor David Allen(who also runs hxc) has a very interesting interview with ex-mobster Michael Franzese, who's apparently the first organized-crime guy to up and leave the mob - and live. This guy has found Christ, and it's a heck of a read. Franzese also has a new book out.
- lastly, this quote from p. 47 of the magazine, concerning - again - Five Iron Frenzy. "It is impossible to describe a stereotypical Five Iron Frenzy fan. There is no demographic description that can illustrate the diverse mix of lifestyles, age groups and music preferences that are found in the band's fanbase. From church youth groups to social outcasts, the band broke down barriers and built themselves an army of fans, each with Five Iron as a common thread."
I'm one. Are you?
Now on to other things, like the fact that Martha Stewart is going up the river, baby, yeah! *smirks*
Essential listening for today is a twofer: Queens of the Stone Age' 2002 breakout album Songs For The Deaf, a blistering collection of scrubby, terse, desert-inspired rock songs, and the newest from Chicago's Duvall(ex-Smoking Popes), entitled Volume & Density. This album arrived at sweetdisaster HQ yesterday, and it's an instant classic.
The computers at the Ottawa Public Library really need some help.
sphereofhiphop is still the best, most-updated site for Christian hiphop around. And yeah, they loved The Passion of the Christ too. Wonder when I'll see this movie.
Forgotten Arrival(Indie Vision Music) has a new song called 'Tear Soaked Dreams' right over here. If you're into that kinda thing.
Behold, the onslaught cometh: The Roots have finished their new album, The Tipping Point, and it's coming out June 29th through Interscope Records. I wonder if it'll be a continuation of Phrenology or a throwback to their '90s style. [Relevant]
'Dare You To Move' is one of Switchfoot's best songs, and it's also the most-added to Billboard's Modern Rock Radio chart, according to their media release. It beat out Godsmack's new single...wait, who cares about Godsmack? Oh, and Blindside's new album, at #39, is the highest rock debut of last week. Bring it on!
Most Precious Blood's new album Our Lady of Annihilation kills!
Bandoppler has really, really good taste. Check it out. That's what I'm probably doing as you read this here.
Ben Moody, the departed guitarist for 2003's rock story of the year, Evanescence, has been active in the business regardless of bailing on the band last fall; he's been writing songs with the likes of Avril Lavigne, and the new movie The Punisher's soundtrack contains a song he wrote with Drowning Pool's new frontman Jason Jones alongside - get this now - former Living Sacrifice drummer Lance Garvin. Innnneresting.
Side Walk Slam and Ontario's own Hawk Nelson(Tooth & Nail Records labelmates) were on tour in North Carolina recently and got held up at gunpoint in a Waffle Hut; no one was hurt, but wallets etc were taken by the creeps with the guns. As HM magazine(where I read this news) says, pray for the bands you love.
The new album from New Jersey's Life In Your Way is called The Sun Rises and the Sun Sets and Still our Time is Endless(whew), and decapolis likes it. sweetdisaster's interview guy set up an interview with these guys a long, long time ago, and now he's thinking that maybe he should follow up on it.
You've been warned. Ottawa represent!!
I never thought this guy would be playing live in Ottawa, but I guess if we built it(the Capital Music Hall, in this case), he would come.
They're not a punk band, as the article says, but check out this interview with mewithoutYou vocalist Aaron Weiss. It's a Philadelphia newspaper, so if you're from there, you should already be reading it. Great, well-written piece. [rockrebel]
Yellowcard have ejected their bassist and replaced him with a former member; the band continues to prep for their co-headlining tour with Something Corporate; check out the dates.
[# w/ Steriogram
$ w/ The Format
* w/ Less Than Jake]
03/18 – San Francisco, CA @ Warfield Theatre #
03/19 – Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues #
03/20 – Mesa, AZ @ Mesa Amphitheater # $
03/21 – Irvine, CA @ Bren Center(UC Irvine) #
03/23 – El Paso, TX @ Club 101 #
03/24 – Dallas, TX @ Gypsy Ballroom #
03/25 – Austin, TX @ Stubb's BBQ #
03/26 – Jacksonville, FL @ U. of Northern Florida
03/27 – McAllen, TX @ La Villa Real #
03/29 – Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theater #
04/01 – Chico, CA @ U. of Cal. State Chico #
04/02 – Seattle, WA @ Premier #
04/04 – Salt Lake City, UT @ In the Venue #
04/05 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre #
04/06 – Kansas City, MO @ Beaumont Club $
04/09 – St. Petersburg, FL @ Jannus Landing $
04/11 – Lake Buena Vista, FL @ House of Blues $
04/13 – Norfolk, VA @ Norva $
04/14 – Washington, DC @ Nation $
04/15 – Millersville, PA @ U. of Millersville $
04/16 – Farmville, VA @ U. of Longwood $
04/17 – Waltham, MA @ Bentley College $
04/18 – Asbury Park, NJ @ Convention Hall (Surf & Skate Festival)
04/23 – Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre $
04/24 – St. Peter, MN @ Lund Forum Gustavus Adolphus $
04/25 – Charleston, IL @ U. of Eastern Illinois $
04/30 – Kingston, RI @ U. of Rhode Island $*
[soundthesirens]
A lot of news from buzzgrinder today, so we'll do this point-form
- The Agony Scene's self-titled debut from last year has been nominated for a Dove Award for...Recorded Music Packaging of the Year? Interesting. I'd dispute that, maybe, but I'm not in charge.
- mewithoutYou(a great rock and roll band) are gonna be recording the followup to A--->B Life in May, shooting for an August release through Tooth & Nail Records.
- Blindside's new album, About A Burning Fire, debuted at #39! Hot diggity!
Don't Look Down are back in the studio recording their upcoming Nitro Records album; these guys toured with Anberlin and Relient K last year, so the Christian rock crowd should be at least familiar with them. Keep an eye on ye olde pastepunk for a feature piece on these guys.
Check out the video for Thursday's 'War All The Time'! Hop to it! Hop! Like a bunny!
That's right, baby: The Scene is back with a new March attack; check out features on Sworn Enemy and With Honor and CD reviews with the likes of Bloody Sunday and Long Since Forgotten. This is hardcore, kids. And in related news, Scene founder Dan Stephens is moving to California from the east coast next week to be with his lovely fiancee back on his native soil, so keep him/them in your prayers. Thanks.
Yet one more reason we love pastepunk: "Baseball is so much more than watching virtual machines on the field; it's about strategy(at least in the National League), conviction, commitment, loyalty, and tradition." AMEN, brothers.
sweetdisaster faves Is Grace Enough's debut EP on East End Industries emerged from the lab day before yesterday, and the band will play their hometown CD release party March 16th at Club SAW here in lovely metropolitan Ottawa. Openers include two Underground Operations bands, Protest the Hero and the label's newest signing, Toronto's Hostage Life. Should be a heck of a show; we'll be issuing frequent reminders. Peace.
Just a general admission of guilt for everyone, be they artists, label dudes or just fans(if we have any of those): content other than the daily news - for example, features and CD reviews - is rather slow of late, simply because the two blokes behind the scenes here at sweetdisaster have to find time to post new stuff, and at this point it's hard to say when the stream will flow freely. It's coming. We promise. It irks us too.
Keep It Up are yet another southern Ontario-based hardcore band, featuring our boy Phil Waring, formerly of Rise Over Run; the band will play their first show as part of the Left For Dead reunion, May 8th down in Hamilton, ON. Do yourself a favour and be there. Keep It Up are recording all week in a studio owned by the vocalist of Two Knives, and the results thereof will level you.
Essential listening this afternoon is Project 86's self-titled 1998 debut album, the one that spawned their breakout single 'Pipe Dreams'; it's a beast from beginning to end. This is where it all began. Drawing Black Lines, in my opinion, was a better record, but not by much. Check this out. The band's HQ is right over here.
OGS likes the new Slick Shoes album; so do we here at sweetdisaster, we just ain't written our review yet. Go away! Leave us alone! You can't rush genius!!
You know why we like pastepunk so much 'round these parts? Because those Long Islanders drink as much coffee as we do, and that's no easy feat, kids, we assure you.
Today we have TWO essential listening albums, the second being Hillsong: United's 2002 release To The Ends of the Earth. The Christian crowd will probably instantly know who I'm talking about; for the rest of you, this is high-energy worship music, and with the last twenty-four hours that I've had, this record is literally a Godsend. And they're from Australia, and their newest album comes out later this month, so be forewarned: the rock will be had.
Anyone seen this girl Joss Stone? I thought she was really cute til I found out she's only sixteen, and now I'm deeply ashamed of myself; either way, she is seriously talented. Great voice, great songs(even if her current breakout single is a reworked White Stripes' tune), and c'mon, The Roots' Ques?love plays drums with her. Check her out.
A new Ottawa band is making waves. The Department of Foreign Affairs is a name I'd seen around town on posters and in the press, but I just found out recently that their lineup consists of two-thirds of a great departed rock band, The Pop Shove Its, along with alumni from Paperjack. Now I'm compelled to check them out ASAP, and you should be too. There's your heads-up.
I saw that French metal band on TV again the other night. The video with the huge breakdowns combined with what appears to be people in giant potato costumes beating each other down. Marvelous!
I slept until almost three-thirty this afternoon. Why, you ask? Because my body shut down after the hella great...lemme see here...roughly twelve hours I got to spend with my friend Heidi, a member of the Bethany Bible College chorale(Sussex, New Brunswick y'all), who blew the roof off the dump at Kanata Wesleyan Church yesterday morning. Heidi was one of the first and remains the biggest supporter of this here sweet disaster we like to call sweetdisaster, and when she reads this, she'll be smiling.
And now, the news.
Word from the Illect camp is that new signee Flynn Atkins(L.A. Symphony) will be - so far as we know - the only Illect artist present at GMA Week in April down in Nashville. sweetdisaster is still working on having coverage of that notorious week of debauchery and excess(within the Christian context, of course); keep your eyes peeled. Flynn's Illect debut, In Like Flynn(nice) drops April 27th.
Absolutely essential listening today is 'Faith, Love and Happiness', my personal favourite track off of Thousand Foot Krutch's hit album Phenomenon. What a riff! *gets down wit' his bad self*
For all you Evanescence fans out there(and I'm one of them; bring on the flak!!), check this out to read some of an MTV.com article on the band's split. There's actually nice things said this time!
I saw this one coming a long time ago: as previously reported here and elsewhere, Skillet have signed with Lava/Atlantic Records(home also to Kid Rock among others); the band's latest, Collide, will be reissued to the mainstream market in May. Go Skillet.
In related news, another Atlantic band is our Band Name of the Day: Egypt Central. Uh huh.
Jude the Obscure, one of the southern Ontario's bright metal hopes, have returned from hiatus - two weeks after going on said hiatus. The result? Their guitarist left, so they'll find another one and proceed on point. There ya go. [lambgoat]
Check it out: Caffiends are theprp.com's band of the month!
One of last year's best-received new metal bands, The Agony Scene, are lookin' for a drummer. If you think it's you, hit this up.
Thursday and Poison the Well. Together. Otawa. Capital Music Hall downtown. April 20th. That is all. Move along.
The new Most Precious Blood, while not the 'metallized' album some say it is, is amazing; they shot a video for 'The Great Red Shift' in Brooklyn that's rumoured to be huge as well. Check it out here! Wheee! And speaking of MPB, their tour with Silverstein, .hopesfall and From Autumn to Ashes hits Ottawa March 22nd at Babylon. Be there or we'll hunt you down and make you pay.
Nonpoint are covering Phil Collins' 'In The Air Tonight'! That's awesome!! *dies laughing*
In the space of ten or so minutes the other night, I saw the killer new video from The Vines(I'm not a fan, but the video is awesome, with like eighty-five bands playing the same song in a gym somewhere), Switchfoot's 'Meant To Live'(first time I've seen that particular piece) and Jersey. Not bad for CrapMusic, the Nation's Music Station. Thrice appeared on The Wedge at its accustomed ungodly morning hour, as well as the newest Alexisonfire clip, more of their kitschy humour set to their track 'Waterwings'. And in ANOTHER segue, I got a text message last night from my boy Ryan, whose band Is Grace Enough were up in Sudbury or someplace with Alexisonfire. I think that's what was going on, anyway. Rock stars at weird hours are kinda incoherent. Bwaaaaahaha.
The Emergency Response is the upcoming EP by Despistado, coming out on Jade Tree Records June 25th. Normally I wouldn't care so much, but it turns out Despistado are from Saskatchewan, right here in the Great White North. I had no idea. [punknews]
Bring it on! Check out a new Belvedere track from the Calgary band's website; it can be found in the 'Media' section.
