Buy This Compilation Right Now
Written: Jan 18 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great music from a great scene for a low price.
Cons: Some tracks suck, but that should be expected.
The Bottom Line: 34 tracks, 80 minutes, $5. 'Nuff said.
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| fatdan_138's Full Review: ...But, what about the kids? - Various Artists Mov... |
I've been meaning to review this album for over a month now. Back in mid-December I had this album listed on Epinions and I had a review all planned out. Then, for a multitude of reasons, I was unable to find the time to sit down and churn this puppy out. So, here it goes. For the first time since the second week of December, my many critics and few fans have something to read through.
Allright, first thing's first. The zine that this comes from, I Can't Believe It's Not..., is located in Seattle, Washington. It's basically concerned with stuff going on in the Northwest punk scene. I do not live in Washington; in fact, I don't live in the Northwest at all. So how in the world did I hear about this compilation? Ironically enough, my uncle lives up there. His band, The Potty Mouth Society, appears on this compilation.. he told me about it and I wrote a letter, sent 5 bucks and had the album in no time. I promised the folks that put this thing out that I'd write a review of it as soon as possible.. well, this took a while, but here it is.
Okay, so how's the cd look? Well, this is distributed by a zine that's run by poor punks, mind you. Don't expect something that's going to look great on your shelf.. or, for that matter, something that's going to look even semi-professional. But who cares? After all, it's the music that counts, right? Anyway, my copy (like all copies) came with the special music issue of I Can't Believe It's Not..., which is really neat... lots of crazy articles, lyrics to these songs, an interview with Park (if you care.. I don't care at all about interviews) and everything else that makes punk zines so much fun. There were also a few stickers and a neat little button, which is awesome. The CD was neatly cased in between two cardboard cutouts from a beer carton (not just any cheap beer... Pabst Blue Ribbon beer!) held together with duct tape. The CD itself is a CD-R with "...But, what about the kids?" written on it with a sharpie... oh yeah, and there's a little note on the front of the "case" telling me that I'm the proud owner of copy #4 of 200! Not bad, not bad! Anyway, yeah, the point is that you're not going to get something ultra-professional here, so don't expect it. If that's a problem for you, you probably shouldn't be reading this review anyway.
Okay, so now you're sitting here thinking, "Allright, why in the world would I want to get a cheap compilation of a bunch of Seattle punk bands that I've never heard of?" Why? I'll tell you why. Because it's GOOD. These aren't your average punk bands, ladies and gentlemen. We're talking high quality, beer spittin' music here. You're not going to put this in and hear another version of Punk-O-Rama or anything like that. These bands are actually talented, work hard (relatively speaking) and sound good. The sad truth is that most of these bands aren't going to get too much attention from the national "punk scene" (basically, these guys aren't going to be on Warped Tour or reviewd in Maximum Rock-and-Roll) so you should listen to them while they're still around. Trust me, you will be satisfied.
Allright, enough garbage. It's time for a track by track review. Just so you're not confused, I'll list bands in bold and I'll list the song titles in italics. Also, since most of these are small, struggling bands that need your support, I'll be listing their websites as well. Go see if you can leech some MP3s. I'm going to try my hardest to describe the song, the music style AND the band all at once, so I apologize if it sounds awkward.... my other reviews aren't much better, anyway.
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1) Divinity of Truth - The Great Oppressor
This song sounds typical of most "new hardcore" songs. It starts out with a kind of slow, dark metal feel and then speeds up into something you'd expect to hear from Victory Records. Anyway, I'm not sure if you're into that kind of hardcore, but I'm not. My problem with this music style is that it tries to do too many things at once. You've got Slayer-style drumming and guitar parts, Hatebreed-esque vocals, the slow beginning, and basically the same chords that every two-bit "heavy" band plays nowadays. It's extremely repetitive and overdone... it really doesn't have the "edge" that it once had. Like I said, you may disagree with me.. but this just doesn't do it for me. Stereotypical.
http://www.divinityoftruth.com
2)The Greedies - Facing 315
When this band finally releases an album of their own, I'm going to be one of the first to purchase it. What we've got here is a refreshingly original approach at punk rock. It's kind of a raw version of pop punk... that's an incredibly bad description, but it's the best that I can do. Anyway, forget it, these guys are good, this is a great song and the drummer is incredible. You won't go wrong here.
http://www.thegreedies.com
3)The New Avenues - Danger
This is some pretty melodic stuff. Good singer, pretty interesting sound overall. It's a lot different than the first two tracks.. this is very strung out, not "hard" in any way at all. It's pretty groovy stuff, stuff that I normally don't like, but this is an exception.
http://www.geocities.com/thenewaves/
4)Problem With Heroes - Saw Red
Also strung out, melody based. For some reason, I don't like this as much as I liked The New Avenues' song... don't ask me why, I don't know. Anyway, this gets fairly heavy, I guess... more of an emo approach, though, which I'm really not into. Nevertheless, you might be, so take it as you want.
http://www.problemwithheroes.com note: I couldn't get the site to work
5)Old Man Smithers - Voyeur
These guys sound absolutely drunk... just how I like it! This is my kind of hardcore punk... you can actually make out words among the screaming/singing, the riff is a straight out approach to music (i.e., nothing fancy, no real frills.. nothing but the meat, so to speak), there's actually a solo and the song is just flat out mad. Now, there are going to be a lot of you who can't stomach this stuff, so be warned.
-no website-
6)Section One - Road Kill
Another good hardcore punk band. The thing that I love about hardcore punk and fast heavy metal is the incredible amount of energy exerted by each band. Section One just flies out of the speakers and into your face... very raw and energetic. The music isn't super complex, but this isn't The Exploited either... you won't get bored. Great track.
-no website-
7)Millhous - Under A Minute
More speedy, heavy punk rock. These guys have a style uniquely their own... it's hard to explain, but it sounds really cool. Anyway, this aptly named tune ends before you know it beings, and seques into...
8)Millous - The Ballad of AP
Another speedy track, albeit slowed down from it's predecessor. I think some of their unique style comes from the singer's voice. He's singing the songs strangely, in a style I can't quite put my finger on.. it's really cool. Anyway, yeah, fast and raw music, just how I like it.
http://www.millhous.com
9)The Love Punch - Leave The Door Open
Allright, what you've got here is a slower punk song, sung by a girl whose voice gets extremely annoying after the second line. It's slow, kind of lame... I'm really not sure what they're trying to do here, but it isn't working very well. Oh well... you've got to have a few bad tracks here and there.
-no website-
10)The Science - Kill The Assassin
Okay, the recording quality is really bad, so brace yourself. The song starts out just like most hardcore punk songs... and suddenly turns into one of the strangest pieces of music that I've ever heard. I believe I can hear a keyboard in the background somewhere, but it's over too quick to make sure. Anyway, it's fast and it's cool.
11)The Science - Every 3 AM
Just like the last track... really quick, really fast. Either these guys have two lead singers or the singer doubletracked his voice... basically, you've got two guys screaming their lungs out for all 45 seconds. It's a good thing that it's not longer, too, because it can be really annoying. Anyway, bad recording quality, but super quick music.
-no website-
12)World We Made - To Live Everyday As If It Were Your Last
Boy, this would be an awesome song if the singer was actually trying... he's alternating between screaming and singing in a sort of falsetto whine for the whole song that really gets on your nerves. It's too bad, too, because otherwise this is a great song that neatly alternates between loud and slow parts.
-no website-
13)Buried In The Desert - This Is Fusion
Pretty cool rhythm in the beginning four bars... really creative. The song slows up a little bit and rolls into a really cool jam. The drums are basically holding the group together, making the other instruments sound better than they actually are. As for the vocals, well, they could use some work, but they're not in the way so you don't notice. Good track.
-no website-
14)Aborterated - Who's A Rockstar
This really isn't much of a song. It's just a drum beat and some voice saying "who's a rockstar?" a few times... lame. This shouldn't count.
15)Aborterated - 9 Months Late
Now this is more like it. This is a slow, dark jam that reminds me of "doom metal" bands like Saint Vitus.. sounds kind of gothic, with a really cool keyboard part. Great singing, a great jam that speeds up and slows down, and great intensity. Simply awesome.
-no website-
16)Flamethrower - Say It
Another hardcore punk track, this time with overly distorted bass and guitar... I think they're using some sort of digital distortion. Anyway, whatever it is, it sounds really weird. Like all good hardcore punk tracks, it's over before you can really decide whether these guys are good or not... nontheless, it's a good track that I really enjoy.
17)Flamethrower - Enigma
Hmmm, another hardcore punk track. This one's good as well... my only problem with this stuff is that it all starts to sound the same after a while. Flamethrower sounds like a good band here, but they aren't doing anything that I haven't heard before... that sort of prevents them from being a great band... but it's allright. This is good music anyway, stuff that you wild kids will be sure to enjoy.
http://www.flamethrower666.com
18)The Hollowpoints - P.O.W.
I guess people can actually play punk music without the "louder faster harder" hardcore mentality... this is biting and intense, but not a full-out scream-and-play-until-your-wrist-breaks track like most of the ones before it. I like these guys a lot... it's kind of a calmed down approach to punk rock, which is always refreshing to hear. Check these guys out.
http://www.thehollowpoints.com
19)Last 1 Out - Red Stripes
After that slower Hollowpoints track, we start this off with a raw, hardcore approach... and then, what's this, SKA? Nice. The world needs more hardcore punk bands that double as ska bands. I'm not talking about a super-poppy, Operation Ivy or Bouncing Souls approach, either. Rather, these guys remind me of The Subhumans, who just so happen to be one of my favorite bands of all time. It's intense, it's fast, and it's almost three minutes long... Incredible.
-no website-
20)The Potty Mouth Society - Perfect
Okay, so I'm not exactly impartial about these guys, since my uncle plays for them and all.. who cares? Epinions reviewers aren't supposed to be totally impartial anyway. Anyhow, these guys are another quick punk band, full of great singing, some awesome guitar riffs... and one of the best drummers around today. Highly recommended punk rock.. you'll like these guys.
http://www.geocities.com/pottymouthsociety/
21)Sadie Hawkins Rejects - Our Time To Fight
I can't understand a single word that these guys say, and I don't care. Ladies and gentlemen, this is one incredibly crazy band. I don't think I've heard a hardcore band quite as raw and outrageous as these guys... great stuff. Fast and loud, sure to give your folks a headache.
http://www.angelfire.com/rock3/sadiehawkins/
22)Anti-Everything - Dead By Dawn
Allright, you've got a really odd 45 second intro of strange voices saying "dead by dawn" over and over again.... and then the music starts (finally). This is good 4-chord hardcore punk, nothing too extreme or fancy anywhere.. but really cool anyway. The singer reminds me of the lead singer from Blanks 77, which is pretty cool. Good song.
-no website-
23)Subjekt 2 Change - Never Again
More fast hardcore punk, well played. It's heavy and deep when it needs to be, and it's very fast, just like it should be. The finger burning guitar solo reminds me of old Metallica solos.. very cool.
http://www.subjekt2change.com
24)Magnetic North - Save It
Anywhere else, this would be considered a fast, heavy song... but not on this album. This sounds loads slower than the tracks before it... anyway, it's pretty cool, a lot more mainstream and less abrasive than the other tracks... some melodic stuff going on and "hard pop" stuff like that, if you're into it. Great track, great switch from the super heavy stuff before it.
-no website-
25)Grieving The Days To Come - And Then...
Allright, this is nuts. You've got some indescipherable guitar riff played extremely fast, a bass line that's trying to keep up, and speed-metal drumming... it slows down and gets into the good old rap-metal feel that's become so popular among "heavy" groups lately. It's okay, I guess, but I'm really not into it (I talked about that on the Divinity of Truth track).. However, I know that a lot of you like stuff like this, so get it and listen to it. It's insane and loud, so you can't go wrong.
http://www.grievingthedaystocome.com
26)Graveyard Shift - Bloodstains
Rockabilly style song, cool vocals (Don't mind the bloodstains on the seat, it's only a reminder of last night's date) and a kickin' guitar solo to boot. This is the way rockabilly should be played. Fast and funny.
http://www.geocities.com/graveyardshift666/
27)Bad News Boils - Teenage Depression
I consider this to be another creative punk track... there's probably stuff out there that sounds like this, but I haven't heard it, and I think it sounds really cool. It's another hardcore punk track, but it's not a shredder track like some of the others on this album... really cool. You kids will like this one as well.
-no website-
28)Positively Negative - B******s in Blue
Epinions won't let me type any naughty words, so I had to censor the title to this track.. just in case you were wondering. It's another hardcore punk track, very speed-metal influenced.. but nothing really new. I dunno.. we all need to hear anti-cop songs once in a while, and there's nothing really wrong with this song.. it just bores me for some reason. Anyway, check it out, I'm sure most of you wild kids will like it.
http://www.positivelynegative.com
29)Caught Red Handed - Daily Dose
I can't listen to this without laughing. It's obscene and is quite hilarious. Anyway, this is a fast punk track, more of an early-80s style hardcore than what people consider "hardcore" nowadays... I've actually been using the early-80s kind for this whole review (you know, groups that sound like DOA, The Circle Jerks.. stuff like that) so I'm sorry if I've lead some of you astray or whatever.. anyway, enough rambling. Great track, great band.
http://www.caughtredhanded.net
30)Gloryholes - Hand of Glory
A bit slower, more of a jam going on here.. it's still fast, though, so don't think you're going to fall asleep or anything like that. This is another pretty original attempt at hardcore... very interesting singing style, and a pop riff with a lot of distortion. Sounds really cool.
http://www.thegloryholes.com
31)Portrait Of Poverty - Road Rage
This song makes me want to drive my car into a telephone pole. It's fast and loud and angry and all the things that make hardcore such a wonderful genre. Great stuff, really energetic.. nothing new here, but it keeps my interest.
http://www.portraitofpoverty.com
32)Shift Man Shift - Clash To Crash
I really like Shift Man Shift. This is the way that pop punk was intended to sound... basically, this is pop punk in the same vein as old Descendents. It's fast and raw, yet it's not full of screaming and speed metal and all the stuff that you "normal" kids can't stand. I'm going to guarentee that you'll like this band, too.. these guys should get pretty big one day, in my opinion.
http://www.shiftmanshift.com
33)26,000 Volts - Skate Song
These guys are awesome... it's a three chord song, with all sorts of angry-yet-audible screaming and lots of cussin' and fussin'. Very violent music... I'd spew my beer all over the place if I saw these guys live. Awesome music, another incredible band.
-no website-
34)Amazombies - Lost Girl
Okay, now this is the way that a band with a girl singer is supposed to sound like. The Love Punch should take note of what these folks do right... it's fast music, very upbeat, very loud.. the high pitched vocals are complemented by the music, rather than being exposed over instruments that aren't doing anything... yeah, these guys rock. It's kind of got that Donnas feel that everybody's into nowadays... really cool, heavy yet poppy. You'll love these chicks (and one guy).
http://www.theamazombies.com
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WHEW! Well, I'm not sure how long it took you to read that, but it took me well over a half hour to write it. There you have it.. 34 tracks, almost 80 minutes worth of music. All that for $5 bucks, when you include shipping. If you're not ordering this album right now, I'm not sure what's wrong with you. I mean, it's 80 minutes of music for 5 bucks.. how in the world can you beat that?
Anyway, make sure to check out some of those bands and support them and stuff. A few of them should be going on tour somewhere around where you are, so look out for 'em...
I tried to do all I could to review these guys, but it's really hard to talk about how a band sounds after one or two songs. I'm sure that I didn't do a lot of these bands justice, and a lot of my descriptions probably aren't very convincing... oh well, I tried. Check them out anyway and buy this album.
*ordering information (aka shameless capitalist plug)*
Go to http://www.icantbelieveitsnot.homestead.com/info.html and check out the first paragraph.. that's the one about this issue of the zine. If you scroll down a little bit, you'll get the zine's address. Get a five dollar bill, find an envelope and steal a stamp from somewhere, write the address on the envelope, put a little note in there for the guys and send the check out. Then judge this album for yourself.
Sorry to put that in here.. if you're interested, you need to know that, because this album's not sold in stores.
Okay, that wraps it up. If you've got anything to say to me about this album or this review, write a comment on here... if you've got a problem with me, go ahead and email me, but be warned: I'm not the nicest guy in the world. And have a nice day!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
fatdan_138
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Member: Dan Evensen
Location: Provo, Utah
Reviews written: 38
Trusted by: 2 members
About Me:
I'm a violinist and a guitarist, and a big baseball fan.
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