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Lista de canciones:

1. Living Together
2. In The Morning And Amazing...
3. The Greatest Lie
4. The Difference Between Medicine And Poison Is In The Dose
5. Mandala
6. Travel Hymn
7. Semi Constructive Criticism
8. Kicking Your Crosses Down
9. On Letting Go
10. Carry Us Away
11. Close Your Eyes To See
12. Your Friends Are Gone

http://donate.circasurvive.com/

Summer 08

1. "Shimmy Shimmy"
2. "..."
3. "..."
4. "Dear Mom"
5. "Where Do I Go From Here"

I continue to write and record really rough demos. I don't have internet at the house but do at work I will be recording at home transferring them to work on a flash drive and let the world listen.

"This Changes Everything"

jBurt

PS - "Dear Mom" is the track written to my mother and how I feel about her and our relationship. I feel like it is time to share with you how I feel.

MySpace : http://www.myspace.com/circasurvive

Genre : Experimental, Indie

Download Flv

TRACKLIST

1.Act Appalled
2.The Great Golden Baby
3.Suspending Disbelief
4.Handshakes At Sunrise (Demo)

MySpace : http://www.myspace.com/circasurvive

Genre : Experimental, Indie

Download

So, how bout I start with something philosophical:

fear of dying is fear of living

And on that note, I just want to say that Norma Jean uses the word 'die' a lot in their lyrics.

Here's what urban dictionary had to say about Norma Jean:

Norma Jean

(1)Norma Jean - The place to go for sex
(2)Norma Jean - Marylin Monroe's real name
(3)Norma Jean - Josh Scogin/Cory Brandon's Band that will make you want to masterbate.

(1)Lets go to Norma Jean's for 'fun'.
(2)Norma Jean is hotter then you, hunny.
(3)I heard Norma Jean and I decided all other bands suck compared to them.

Here's what youtube had to say about Norma Jean in 2003:

And I really need you to buy me these shoes, also:

I know y'all niggas are like, "Oh, these shoes look like some Christmas shit with a star on the corner," and I don't give a fuck! So...someone buy them for me. It's only something like 900 beans.

You know what else is stupid, yet funny?
Racism. Probably the dumbest thing ever. It's also probably the funniest thing in the world.
I want you to remember that things that are funny are also true as fuck.
I thought about youtubing a video, but why?
I'm pretty down for hating people. And I'm pretty down for hating people on the basis of race. I'm also down for being as offensive as possible. But...I'm not racist. I love real racists, though. The ones who are throwing out the 'n word' with the hard 'er. But I do love to call white people racist when they are like, "Dave, do you want some kool-aid?," or like, "Sorry I stepped on your shoes". They get so nervous. I think that white people feel like if they say this phrase, they are never racist:
"I have lots of black friends." Then they proceed to name all four black people they know. I've seen white people name Kanye West as a friend because they actually didn't know that many black people. Shit is ridiculous.

I haven't ranted about hustle yet. Robo Reptar is the easiest topic to use when ranting about hustling.
Alright...let's begin:
I wanna just post this video. This is a band from TX called "Sky Eats Airplane":

They just got signed to Equal Vision Records. Equal Vision is home to some bands like: Circa Survive; Chiodos; Coheed and Cambria; Modern Life Is War; Alexisonfire; The Fall of Troy; Fear Before The March of Flames and many others.
Moving on to the next band. I Set My Friends On Fire. They became popular through their screaming version of "Crank Dat Soulja Boy" called "Crank Dat Cavalry Boy". Niggas were racking like 50,000 plays a day, just on that song. Anyway, let's get to their first show. It was at the Bamboozle Festival in New Jersey. Here's what youtube told me about ISMFOF:

If you can't watch the video. They just got signed to Epitaph records. I'm pretty sure Story of the Year, Motion City Soundtrack, Bad Religion, Vanna, Escape the Fate, Converge, etc etc.
Now let's talk about how bad they are live:

Let's talk about how Robo Reptar is at least as good as them. But we don't have no videos. Haha. Long story short, it's about time we hustle. Let's hustle.

Sorry about being so rock oriented today, I got something that'll totally set off all the heavy shit I put down today:
Cat Power - Cross Bones Style

December 15th, 2007. Brand New, Thrice, and mewithoutYou were slated to play Albany, NY at Washington Avenue Armory. I was very stoked for this, as I am a HUGE Thrice fan and I was excited to hear them play material off the Fire and Water discs from their highly ambitious project The Alchemy Index (I could tolerate mewithoutYou, but I made up my mind to leave before Brand New). Thanks to my excitement, I left my home waaay too early to score primo parking (much harder than I expected) and a good place in line, as this was a General Admission show.

Unfortunately, the roof of the brutally old armory would cave in, thanks to a nasty snowstorm the night before, effectively canceling the show. Fortunately, members of all three bands, as well as their crew members, would come outside to play Christmas songs for us, the shivering mass of kids who decided to leave their houses, apartments, and dorms waaay too early.

Ah yes. Good times. I even had the opportunity to talk with Eddie Breckenridge, the bassist of Thrice. Super chill dude who loves photography. But, as awesome as it was to see this collection of musicians rock the shit out of "The Twelve Days of Christmas," it just couldn't make up for the concert I wanted to see.

So, when Thrice's tour schedule came out and a date for Clifton Park (a suburb roughly 20 minutes from Albany) showed up for May 12, 2008, I immediately jumped for a pre-sale ticket. Finally, a chance to see one of my favorite bands (as well as support acts Circa Survive and Pelican) in a not-so-shady area (word of advice: look tough when you walk the streets of Albany).

So, May 12 finally arrived and, much like December, I again left waaay too early to score primo parking and a good place in line. However, I over-estimated how long it would take me to get to Northern Lights, the venue where the show was about to take place. Thanks to a humble NY Thruway, and an even smoother I-87, I ended up with my primo parking spot and good place in line at 2pm, with four hours to kill until doors opened.

If you've never been to Northern Lights, it's an interesting place. The venue is set inside a mini-mall (yeah, I know), with a dollar store to the left and a church to the right.

Surprised the shit out of me. But the best part of this? Like all mini-malls, there was a nice, big, open parking lot in the front, a thing I appreciated as I'm used to venues near massive parking garages or lots where there is a 5 dollar fee or some nonsense.

Now, you may think that with four hours to kill, I would've just spent my time dicking around outside and going to the dollar store to buy cheap candy. Well...you're right. That IS what I did for a good amount of time. However, a plus of coming early was the ability to hear Thrice's soundcheck from the outside. After all the proper stuff was done, singer/guitarist Dustin Kensrue banged out an impromptu version of "Blood and Wine," off his solo album Please Come Home. And in a moment that made my head go cocked like a confused dog, guitarist Teppei Teranishi would perform a snippet of Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine." Then, the band would dabble with Cave In's "Big Riff" (which sounded pretty unreal) before hitting the big three songs of their soundcheck: "Silhouette" (in instrumental form), "Flags of Dawn" (which excited me), and "Daedalus," which sounded great, despite Dustin forgetting a good portion of the lyrics. Then, they were off the stage and I was back to doing nothing but hitting the dollar store for Pringles and a water.

Around 5ish, people besides myself started to show up; many of them were female Circa fans eager to express their love for frontman Anthony Green, while others were fans of both Circa and Thrice (Pelican fans were far and few). Then, after four hours of waiting, the doors were opened and I finally entered the venue. To my surprise, it just seemed like a casual bar/restaurant...only with a modest sized stage right smack in the corner. After setting my spot in the front, I was ready for the show.

Pelican started things off with a noisy drone over the PA before leading into "Dead Between The Walls" from their most recent album City of Echoes. I originally had a fear that, since this group is totally instrumental, it would be like watching four statues on stage. In addition, I've read about how horrid the drummer is in a live situation. But, my fears vanished when Pelican delivered a very lively set (guitarist Laurent Schroeder-Lebec made "Donald Duck" faces while he played, and fellow guitarist Trevor de Brauw moved like a snake) and the drummer was actually NOT THAT BAD. Four songs, with about a 30 minute time. I even showed my enjoyment by buying one of their hoodies after the show from de Brauw. Quiet guy, but was humbled by my "You guys were fucking RAD!" comment.

Now, the crowd during Pelican was kind of in a "shock and awe" mood, just listening and digesting the riffage. However, once they stopped playing, it just seemed as if EVERYONE (especially the ladies) rushed to the front, effectively squishing me against the unforgiving barrier. Worst, not only did everyone rush to the front, but they were also adamant in getting a spot up front which would put my cherished front spot at risk. So, from the beginning, I was already gripping the bar.

Meanwhile, a fight developed right next to me between a plump guy and a blond girl over, I believe, a beer. Nasty words were exchanged and physical hostility was probably just one "fuck you" away. Thankfully, security would break up the fight and send the plump guy packing. As great as this may seem, it was a blessing and a curse; gone was the consistent profanity, but in its place was a drunk blond that spilled Labatt Blue on my trusty black hoodie and just HAD to tell me every 10 seconds how much she loves Circa Survive and how they were her band. The agony. The smell.

Enter Circa Survive. This is when the show would really pick up in intensity. A wave of bodies pressed me against the railing. Bodies flew overhead as crowd surfers made their presence known. Kids just love Anthony Green, it seems. I was more focused on Colin Frangicetto, to be honest. Very clever guitar playing, especially during their set closer "The Difference Between Medicine and Poison is the Dose." But, besides his playing, I was also extremely focused on keeping my front row spot, essentially making it an hour of struggle, survival, a gut meeting steel on more than 7 occasions, and a Doc Martin boot to the back of the head. Can't remember the set.

Yes, it was greedy for me to not give up my cherished spot; I realize this. However, I was not going to let my 4 hours of waiting go to shit.

So, Circa ends and I'm ready for a breather. The front is finally not packed with Anthony Green fans eager to greet him with open arms and legs. This would last for a record 5 seconds, when the front would become PACKED with dudes. Absolute sausagefest. Almost lost my spot again, but I kept my ground.

After a lengthy tech set-up (which seemed to last for AGES), Thrice finally hit the stage with a BANG, starting off with "Hold Fast Hope" from Vheissu. I will declare this: pictures on the internet and video from YouTube just DOES NOT do this band's live performance justice. You have to witness the light show, the presence from Dustin, Teppei, and the Breckenridge Brothers, Riley and Eddie, and just the power that their songs possess. It's unreal. And yes, I did have to brace for my life again with serious clutching to the barrier, but it was so worth it.

Two major highlights: One was the crazy crowd surfing that took place during "Deadbolt." Imagine body after body after body after body flowing towards the front, which sent all the security about in a scurry. It is a sight that has to be seen to be believed.

The other? After set closer "The Earth Will Shake," guitar picks and drum sticks were thrown to the crowd, all of them I failed to catch. The last man on stage, Eddie started peeling off the setlists, dangling them to the crowd like worms to fish. He comes to my section (which was right in front of Teppei) and takes the last list. I motion for it and Eddie looks at me for a good bit. Then, he shouts (and I am not making this up):

"...I REMEMBER YOU FROM WASHINGTON AVENUE!" ::::hands setlist over to me::::

And that, my readers, was a perfect cap to my night (along with the 40 dollar bids for the setlist, all of them I denied). So, thank you Thrice, good job Pelican, and thanks for ruining my black hoodie, Circa Survive blond.

THRICE SETLIST

Hold Fast Hope
All That's Left
Flags of Dawn
Digital Sea
Firebreather
The Messenger
Trust
The Earth Isn't Humming
The Artist in the Ambulance
Silhouette
Lost Continent
Stare At The Sun
Broken Lungs
Come All You Weary
Of Dust and Nations
Daedalus
Don't Tell and We Won't Ask
Deadbolt
For Miles
The Earth Will Shake

Thrice - The Messenger (my personal highlight of the night)

I've been busy lately, but I checked around to see what anthony green/circa survive had been up to. I checked out youtube to see some circa survive vids and came across an video ANTHONY GREEN - Behind the scenes of the making of Avalon. I'm freakin out in EXCITEMENT! HE'S REALLY WORKING ON HIS SOLO ALBUM! This annoucement was made on absolutepunk.net on  April 7th.  Anyway, who cares! My boy Anthony Green is doing the solo thang!!!!!!!!! The album comes out in August 2008.

www.myspace.com/anthonygreen

Ganhei um ovo de páscoa do meu amor, aham, ovo de páscoa da bolacha Trakinha...com direito a um relógiozinho bizarro e tudo...por o Gustavo disse que eu sou criança...então tá..neh! Domingo a tardinha fomos passear na marina da prima de um amigo nosso (tirando o fato do cachorro ..hehhe - tava tudo perfect!) e tiramos um monte de fotos =D

Esta semana pelo visto tende a ser agitadíssima, sexta-feira agora vou ir pra São Paulo, participar de um workshop na EEUSP sobre "Mortes e perdas ao longo do ciclo vital: subsídios para o atendimento ao paciente e à família" - vão ser 2 dias de palestras, vai ser bem interessante !! (estou ansiosa..rs) - vou com o Gustavo e iremos passar o final de semana na casa de um amigo dele, provavelmente rolêzinhos em Sampa e muitas fotos...rs. Vou ficando por aqui, deixando uma música que amo de paixão..rs <3 - Circa Survive - In fear and faith - Espero que gostem !! Tenham uma ótima semana! Beijos =***

Is there a show coming up that you'd like to write about? Are you a photographer that would like to break into concert photography? Have you ever wanted to interview a band? Love Drug Media (that's us) is looking for people to join our staff. Writers are needed the most, but we're opening up every position to you! Just shoot us an email with your resume and why you feel you're qualified for the job, along with some sample work. If you're a photographer, directing us to your portfolio would be fine. Don't have a resume? Send us your name, age, location, contact information, related work, bands you're interested in, etc. We'll contact you A.S.A.P. to let you know whether we feel you're fit to be on our staff. You can find our contact information here!

will you walk straight
im not like them
to fool them in
make it seem like you're in trouble
make a sound
fake it enough
what made you so scared?
maybe you're mistaken for someone who cares

if you remember (remember)
I've been trying to get back to the center
I'm sure
it's not like it was before

to make them drink
tell 'em that it's only water
no one leaves til we figure this out
what made you so scared?
maybe you're mistaken for someone who cares

if you remember (remember)
I've been trying to get back to the center
I'm sure
it's not like it was before

patience, both we and our words are over produced by an influence

I'm only asking
if you remember (remember)
I've been trying to get back to the center
I'm sure
it's not like it was

The results are somewhat surprising, with Madina Lake, a band with a fraction of C&C's popularity and exposure in America currently trailing them by about 1% of the vote.

Perhaps even more surprising though, is Circa Survive, a band with an intense cult following in the U.S., due in part to the popularity of frontman Anthony Green, only has about 2% of the vote, with about 1/16 as many votes garnered as the London-based Fightstar, who are currently in third. To view the latest results click here and check out this video of Circa Survive performing the Eternal Sunshine-inspired tune "Meet Me in Montauk" acoustically.

Their sound is pretty cool, its really different from anything out their right now from what I have seen. Maybe someone else can relate them but I can't. The lead singers voice is just amazing. The only other band that would have a similar sound would be a band called Circa Survive which the lead singer is actually the old lead singer of Saosin. They sound bad ass to very cool sound to them, kind of remind me of Glassjaw a little.

Now that I have bored you with all that, I want some more artists similar to their style if anyone knows. I am open to pretty much anything though i am not really a big country fan never have and don't plan to be. Give me some ideas of what your favorite bands are and who I should look for when I go look for some new music as I am always looking for new bad ass bands.

Here is a one of my favorite songs by Saosin at the moment:

Now that the year 2008 is under way there’s been time enough to reflect on the mountains of music that 2007 brought to the ears of many. After weeding out the utterly horrible the best albums of last year have been narrowed down into a handful, thirteen albums:

-Against Me! – New Wave (Punk Rock)
Although diehard fans claimed that Against Me! sold out by signing to Sire, these Gainesville punks did the most anti-establishment thing possible: made a great album that redefined their sound without giving a shit what anyone thought about them.
Key Tracks: “Thrash Unreal,” “White People for Peace”

-Anberlin – Cities (Emotional Indie Rock)
Thoughtful and powerful songs of love, loss, and hope. A cohesive album that combines choruses you can’t get out of your head with explosive rock riffs, piano laden heartfelt love songs, an album that never makes you want to skip ahead.
Key Tracks: “Godspeed” “Dismantle. Repair.”

-The Arcade Fire – Neon Bible (Indie/Art Rock)
While their first album, Funeral, dealt with death and private grief, the Arcade Fire’s newest album takes on the terrifying world of 2007, channeling Springsteen and the Pixies to create a beautiful, frightening picture of Bush’s America.
Key Tracks: “Keep the Car Running,” “Intervention”

-Arctic Monkeys – Favourite Worst Nightmare (Indie/Retro Rock)
Already the darlings of NME and the rest of the British music media, Arctic Monkeys proved that they were more than just hype, making a second album that branched out into the band’s new-rave roots and showed that they were more than one-hit wonders.
Key Tracks: “Fluorescent Adolescent,” “505”

-Circa Survive – On Letting Go (Melodic Emo Rock)
Anthony Green belts out higher notes than man should be able to. Impressive musicianship, catchy choruses, and introspective, emotional lyrics will make you want to put this album on repeat.
Key Tracks: “The Difference Between Medicine And Poison Is In The Dose” “In The Morning And Amazing”

-Every Time I Die – The Big Dirty (Hardcore Rock N’ Roll)
A balls to the wall, face-punching hardcore album with an in your face southern rock tinge. A non-stop, fast paced album, full of surprisingly witty lyrics, and enough breakdowns to bring satisfaction to any angst-ridden day.
Key Tracks: “We’rewolf” “Imitation Is The Sincerest Form Of Battery”

-The Fall of Troy – Manipulator (Progressive Emo Core)
This trio creates some of the most technical, unique, and epic music of our time. With face melting guitars, catchy choruses, and demonic scream ridden breakdowns, you’re in for a memorable ride of chaos and beauty.
Key Tracks: “Seattlantis” “Semi-Fiction”

-Four Year Strong – Rise Or Die Trying (Happy Hardcore)
If you read my review of this on earlier in the year and still haven’t picked this album up yet, then you’re really missing out. Fun and fast paced, pop punk meets metal, blink-182 meets Comeback Kid.
Key Tracks: “Heroes Get Remembered, Legends Never Die” “Maniac (R.O.D.)”

-Portugal. The Man – Church Mouth (Experimental Indie Rock)
An impressively unique sound; high pitched crooning falsettos akin to Zeppelin, organ parts like the doors, funky drums, and sing-a-long songs with Dylan-esque, nearly nonsense lyrics make it feel like the 70’s all over again.
Key Tracks: “Church Mouth” “Bellies Are Full”

-Radiohead – In Rainbows (Experimental Rock)
Most of the buzz that surrounded In Rainbows was because of its revolutionary internet release, but that overshadows the fact that this is the most stunning, accessible, gorgeous music that Radiohead has made in ten years.
Key Tracks: “Bodysnatchers,” “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi”

-Say Anything – In Defense Of The Genre (Emotional Indie Rock)
You get your money’s worth with this one, a 27 song, double disc, concept album with no filler, not one bad song. This has everything from danceable radio hits, to angsty emo rock sagas, mellow acoustic tunes, piano ballads, and plenty of catchy pop punk anthems.
Key Tracks: “The Church Channel” “Baby Girl, I’m A Blur”

-Thrice – The Alchemy Index: Vol. I-II – Fire & Water (Experimental Post-Hardcore)
Another album I had the chance to review: powerful songs crossing genres; one disc is Fire themed, full of fiery metal riffs and screams; the other disc is water themed, piano and electronic drums meet soaring vocal melodies.
Key Tracks: “Burn The Fleet” “Digital Sea”

-The White Stripes – Icky Thump (Blues/Garage Rock)
Icky Thump may not be the Stripes’s best effort (that honor goes to 2003’s Elephant), but it’s certainly a solid album, letting Jack White fully embrace his inner Jimmy Page. And, as everyone knows, a good White Stripes album is better than a great album from any other band.
Key Tracks: “Icky Thump,” “You Don’t Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You’re Told)”

#50-41

50. Interpol - Our Love to Admire
49. Mel Gibson and the Pants - Sea vs. Shining Sea
48. Sylvan - Presets
47. Film School - Hideout
46. Ghost Brigade - Guided By Fire
45. Linkin Park - Minutes to Midnight
44. Hopesfall - Magnetic North
43. Red Fox Grey Fox - From the Land of Bears, Ice, and Rock
42. God is an Astronaut - Far From Refuge
41. Tiger Army - Music From Regions Beyond

#40-31

40. Damiera - M(Us)ic
39. Sleepytime Gorilla Museum - In Glorious Times
38. Chevelle - Vena Sera
37. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Baby 81
36. Feist - The Reminder
35. Bat For Lashes - Fur and Gold
34. Holy Roman Empire - The Longue Durée
33. Paramore - Riot!
32. !!! - Myth Takes
31. Stateless - Stateless

#30-21

30. Maserati - Inventions for the New Season
29. theSTART - Ciao, Baby
28. The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
27. Minus the Bear - Planet of Ice
26. Anberlin - Cities
25. The Editors - An End Has a Start
24. 3 - The End is Begun
23. Ken Andrews - Secrets of the Lost Satellite
22. The Smashing Pumpkins - Zeitgeist
21. Porcupine Tree - Fear of a Blank Planet

#20-11

20. Chiodos - Bone Palace Ballet
19. Pinback - Autumn of the Seraphs
18. Sage Francis - Human the Death Dance
17. Nightwish - Dark Passion Play
16. The Birthday Massacre - Walking With Strangers
15. Queens of the Stone Age - Era Vulgaris
14. Blonde Redhead - 23
13. Kiss Kiss - Reality vs. The Optimist
12. Deas Vail - All the Houses Look the Same
11. The Dear Hunter - Act II: The Meaning of, and all things Regarding Ms. Leading

The Best Albums of 2007: #10-1

10.
Gavin Castleton - For the Love of Pete


No artist is able to keep me on my toes quite the way Gavin Castleton so frequently does. Since the futurock band Grüvis Malt has gone on hiatus, Castleton has been busy pushing his creative limits with all sorts of solo and collaborative projects. This year has seen two releases: Hospital Hymns tells the story of a deeply religious hospital worker in five hymn-inspired tracks; A Bullet, A Lever, A Key gives an account of Castleton's life in reverse-chronological order from his own death in 2054 to the present. 2008 will bring the next release from his action/adventure band Ebu Gogo as well the highly anticipated project known simply as "The Zombie Album". And so For the Love of Pete, an album of love songs written for his friend/former girlfriend seems outwardly blasé by comparison. But the beauty of this album is that he is able to be sincere without sounding mushy, and that he has been able to write about a personal subject without abandoning or neglecting the art in his music.
Song Highlights: I'm Not So Proud, Bad Rabbits, Hibernatal, Weathervane
Links: Homepage - Last.FM - Myspace

9.
oh my god - Fools Want Noise


oh my god are a Chicago quartet who play some really unique rock music. It has the spirit and energy of punk-rock, but it isn't punk-rock. It's loaded with melody and is very accessible, but it isn't pop-rock. They can rock out pretty hard, but until releasing Fools Want Noise, never even had a guitar player. The band's career has been fueled partly by their reputation as one of the best live bands around, mostly due to front-man Billy O'Neil's quirky and engaging behavior on stage. Fools Want Noise is everything that the band's first four albums are, and then some. This unfamiliar stringed instrument fits in seamlessly with their traditional workhorse, the fuzzed-out rock organ. Guitarist Jake Garcia shreds at center stage on Put it in a Song (So Wrong), the best example of how they've adapted to this new dimension. O'Neil, always comfortable being himself and speaking his mind, is all at once outspoken and wise. Though the album is 16 tracks it still comes up a little short of 40 minutes long, making this oh my god's most compact album yet, and one that you'll find irresistible for several spins on repeat.
Song Highlights: Ancient Sanskrit Proverb (The Splendor of Beauty), Houston, Put it in a Song (So Wrong), But That's Just Me (Song for the Holidays)
Links: Homepage - Last.FM - Myspace

8.
Radiohead - In Rainbows


You gotta love what Radiohead did with the release of In Rainbows. After openly questioning the point of being shackled to a large corporate record label at this point in their illustrious career, the band made significant strides for independent music by releasing the electronic copy of their new record through their own website at whatever cost the consumer deemed worthy. And why not? They're Radiohead, and they can do pretty much whatever they want. And perhaps the most pleasant part of In Rainbows is that taking the same approach within their music hasn't led them astray. In fact, it's the knowledge that they can just sit back and play comfortable music that has made this album so enjoyable.
Song Highlights: Bodysnatchers, All I Need, Reckoner, Faust Arp
Links: Homepage - Last.FM - Myspace

7.
Circa Survive - On Letting Go


When Circa Survive released their debut album Juturna, their sound was that of a tight-knit, finely tuned group of musicians. Juturna was excellent, and while On Letting Go may not have surpassed it, it comes awfully close. Anthony Greene's voice still soars with his trademark pitch, and his lyrics are noticeably more lucid. The album guitar work is again impressive, as is the drumming. More than anything else, On Letting Go proves that everything great about Juturna was not a fluke, and that more greatness ought to be expected from Circa Survive in the future.
Song Highlights: Your Friends Are Gone, In the Morning and Amazing, Kicking Your Crosses Down, The Greatest Lie, Living Together, The Difference Between Medicine and Poison is In the Dose
Links: Homepage - Last.FM - Myspace

6.
Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank


Modest Mouse earned their stripes when the term indie was much more closely tied to smaller budget underground music. They are also one of the main reasons that indie rock has swelled in popularity this decade, particularly with their crossover megahit Float On from Good News For People Who Love Bad News. And with all due respect to Good News, this may be their best effort since The Moon and Antarctica. The album is impressively consistent with its share of catchy, cool guitar work and subtle creativity. Meanwhile, leader Isaac Brock is still as intriguing and quirky as ever.
Song Highlights: Dashboard, Fire It Up, Parting of the Sensory, Fly Trapped in a Jar
Links: Homepage - Last.FM - Myspace

5.
of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?


For years, Kevin Barnes and Of Montreal have been pioneers at indie/pop music's experimental frontier, and Hissing Fauna is another example of the troupe covering new ground. Despite the sometimes saccharine sound on much of this album, the lyrics are born out of a period of soul searching and struggle, which gives the songs a certain depth that makes the album all the more interesting. The culmination is the epic (not a word often associated with pop music of this sort) and trance-like The Past is a Grotesque Animal, a manically progressive twelve minute song where all of his emotions seem to boil up for all to hear. The rest of the album is much less tense; the music is catchy, fun, silly even. Pulling this kind of music off well is difficult enough without tackling such sticky subject matter, and that they do is quite impressive.
Song Highlights: The Past is a Grotesque Animal, Suffer For Fashion, Gronlandic Edit, A Sentence of Sorts in Kongsvinger, Bunny Aint No Kind of Rider,
Links: Homepage - Last.FM - Myspace

4.
Strata Presents the End of the World


Strata's self titled debut was one that I really enjoyed quite a bit, but I never saw this coming. This California quartet has spent the past three years touring and soaking up the experiences of playing with some of the best bands in modern rock, and it really shows with Strata Presents the End of the World. Playing with dredg in particular seems to have left a strong impression. The music balances musicianship with versatile songwriting, including the insanely catchy Cocaine (We're All Going to Hell; the stunning, almost haunting Night Falls (The Weight of it), and the quiet and pretty closer Daylight in the City. The album's lyrics are well written, though they often hint at a state of concern and desperation. Vocalist Eric Victorino gives a brave and scathing critique of the war in Iraq in The New National Anthem (link: unofficial video), singing,
Broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight / you know those who stand to gain are not the ones who sacrifice / watching bombs burst in air from a comfortable chair / they just say, "in God we trust, and God trusts in greed, as long as they never show real blood on TV" / I tried hard to bite my tongue like a good American / but they recruited my little brother and they're shipping off my friends / so I'll support the troops by asking what they're really fighting for / and I think that's more patriotic than flying a flag from my front porch
Now, I wouldn't want to give the impression that this album is too serious to be fun. And though there is a moody quality to the disc, it is completely solid from beginning to end and will make for many worthwhile listens.
Song Highlights: Cocaine (We're All Going to Hell), Night Falls (The Weight of it), Hot/Cold (Darling Don't), The New National Anthem, Daylight in the City
Links: Homepage - Last.FM - Myspace

3.
Fair to Midland - Fables From a Mayfly: What I Tell You Three Times is True


The most exciting debut of 2007 is easily Fair to Midland's Fables From a Mayfly, a bombastic and epic adventure into an alternative/progressive metal wonderland. Almost everything about this record is stunning, from the intricately woven threads of power-metal, progressive rock, world music, and a host of other things beyond my ability to discern, to vocalist Darroh Sudderth's incredible range. If you've never heard them before, you're probably scratching your head right now, and you should be. Listening to Fables From a Mayfly is an intriguing and refreshing experience; you realize that you're listening to something different and unique, but it's also so very likeable. And rather than tiring out, further listens will surely amplify both of those qualities.
Song Highlights: Dance of the Manatee, The Walls of Jericho, A Wolf Descends Upon the Spanish Sahara, Kyla Cries Cologne
Links: Homepage - Last.FM - Myspace

2.
Aereogramme - My Heart Has a Wish that You Would Not Go


Aereogramme's My Heart Has a Wish that You Would Not Go is a bittersweet release in that it marks the endpoint of their career. Only a few months after the album's release the band announced that they would be going their separate ways due largely in part to a "...never ending financial struggle coupled with an almost superhuman ability to dodge the zeitgeist." The painful irony is that this is the record that really could have done it for them. Listening to the album, it's hard to figure out how this hasn't become an instant success the way Coldplay's Parachutes or Snow Patrol's Final Straw did. Perhaps it's because Aereogramme spent so much of their earlier albums confusing critics and listeners, hovering in between extremes of loud and soft, harsh and beautiful; always changing shape perhaps a little faster than most listeners could grasp. There is nothing obtuse about Heart however. The album begins with a wash of mildly distorted guitar and waves of piano. Lush string arrangements follow, beautifully accompanied by Craig B's voice. This big, cinematic sound continues through the radio single Barriers and on into the rest of the album. Nightmares presents the album's biggest mood shift, as thundering war drums pound in the distance and strings dance urgently in the background. It is followed by The Running Man, a dynamic and gripping piece with an attention grabbing electronic loop. 2007 will be remembered as a sad year for Aereogramme as they play together for the last time, but also as a triumphant one now that they've completed their masterpiece.
Song Highlights: The Running Man, Nightmares, Barriers, Dissolve, Conscious Life For Coma Boy
Links: Homepage - Last.FM - Myspace

1.
Kaddisfly - Set Sail the Prairie


Truthfully, I've been fully prepared and anxious to proclaim Set Sail the Prairie as album of the year for over 18 months. After hearing the leaked copy of Set Sail for the first time in 2006, I was shocked. Amazed. Kaddisfly, this group of humble musicians from Portland Oregon, had managed to take the sound that created a near-perfect rock album in 2005's Buy Our Intention; We'll Buy You a Unicorn and then outdo themselves by no small margin. For new ears, Kaddisfly play a kind of hybrid art-rock that utilizes the vitality of alternative-punk, the sophistication of math-rock, and the seamlessly applied gloss of catchy pop hooks. There's some heady stuff here that won't fully sink in for three, four, or more listens. Each song is dynamic, with the band placing emphasis on progression and concept. The album ties each song together in a year-long journey across the globe, with each of the 14 tracks represents a stay in a city across the northern hemisphere for one of the twelve months and the two solstices. Traditional instruments from each of those twelve cities are incorporated in the recording of the corresponding song, completing the effect. Even with all of this going on there's little to be intimidated by, because each song is distinct and features abundant use of rich, hooky melody. It's this juxtaposition of pop and progression that makes Set Sail so reapeatably intriguing. More than any other album in 2007, Kaddisfly have managed to create fourteen songs that mesh together on one disc, but stand apart from themselves as unique and memorable accomplishments. Simply put, for fans of fans of alternative rock, this is the 2007 album that must be heard and heard often.
Song Highlights: Campfire, Waves, Birds, Clouds, Empire, Snowflakes, Via Rail, Silk Road, Forest
Links: Homepage - Last.FM - Myspace

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The Best Albums of 2007: (#10-1)Audio Sampler (.mp3)
Some selected samples from some of the albums mentioned above. My hope is that these will plant seeds of interest. Happy listening.
Download

Philadelphia's Innerpartysystem opened the evening, setting the tone for what would quickly become an incredible New Year's Eve party. Best described as some sort of hybrid between Head Automatica (vocalist Patrick Nissley could be mistaken for Daryl Palumbo) and Men, Women & Children--somehow mixed with a heavier dance and electronica influence--the band didn't interact with the crowd, instead focusing their brief time slot entirely on a light show-induced dance party with catchy hooks, pulsing beats, and surprisingly strong vocal deliveries.

Set changes were brief, and New Brunswick's The Gaslight Anthem took the stage shortly after. Fans of older Alkaline Trio records take note, this could be your new favorite band. I had only briefly listened to the four-piece going into the evening, but their incredible live performance convinced me to pick up a copy of their debut, Sink or Swim. Lead vocalist/rhythm guitarist Brian Fallon's stage presence was incredibly strong for such a young band, and the rest of the band locked together tighter than any other band of the evening. Choruses became immediately crowd-singable the second time through each song, a remarkable feat considering most of the crowd was experiencing the band for the first time. Near the end of their set, they kicked into a solid rendition of Tom Petty's classic "American Girl" before closing with "We're Getting A Divorce".

Circa Survive, Equal Vision Records's progressive-rock tinged five-piece featuring ex-Saosin and This Day Forward members, came out as direct support to Thursday. The band played ten songs:

Wish Resign
Living Together
Mandala
Oh, Hello
In Fear and Faith
The Only Difference
Holding Someone's Hair Back
Semi Constructive Criticism
Stop the Fucking Car
Kicking Your Crosses Down

A great setlist mixed evenly with tracks from Juturna and On Letting Go, vocalist Anthony Green engaged the crowd the entire performance albeit stumbling through a few lyrics from time to time. A band I've seen quite a few times, this was easily their strongest performance, though--it was nice to see them stick to their strongest older songs as well as mix in cuts from their latest effort. Songs like "Semi Constructive Criticism" come off as tame on the album when compared live, and "Kicking Your Crosses Down" received incredibly delicate treatment. On Letting Go songs translate so much better live; I'm now rethinking which Circa Survive album is actually my favorite.

Hosts Thursday took the stage around 11PM, their first New Year's Eve show in exactly one decade; fans of the band will quickly recite that Thursday's first show ever was in vocalist Geoff Rickly's basement, December 31, 1998. Much has changed in ten years, and this particularly evening the band kicked off with Kill The House Lights's "Dead Songs", an interesting (but more importantly, refreshing) take on opening a Thursday show. Newly rejuvenated and reinserted into live shows, "Between Rupture and Rapture" followed, and anyone who didn't know band's new lyrics on the previous song certainly woke up to the War All The Time track.

"The Other Side Of The Crash/Over And Out (Of Control)" followed, and I quickly realized that the only people in attendance were actually Thursday fans--unlike many concerts where it's something to do on a bored evening, or fans who enjoy one album or one single, the entire crowd sung along to a track that normally only saw limited audience engagement on previous tours. Met with interesting responses, A City By The Light Divided divided Thursday's fan base; on this New Year's Eve, however, it was the true fans who passed up other parties and attended the show, singing every word of the newer songs.

Partner to "Other Side", "Understanding In A Car Crash" was next (as always), and the fans were treated to the first of three Full Collapse songs that evening, though unfortunately, staple-songs like "Paris In Flames" and "How Long Is the Night?" didn't make it.

Eerie sounding, faith-questioning "Sugar In The Sacrament" came next, and it's no question Geoff feels every haunted word sung. In contrast, the brash and abrasive "At This Velocity" kicked the crowd into a frenzy; the final drum roll segwayed into the pounding drums of "Division. St". Not one of my favorite Thursday songs--I find it too personal and direct--I did listen to Geoff speak candidly about the song (and how important it is for him) for some time earlier in the evening, and it's not shocking the band plays it at every show.

The first surprise of the evening came with "War All The Time", a song Geoff often cites as too personal/emotional to play live. It's been some time since I've heard the track live, and the band did absolute justice to the song. It tends to drag a little on the album, but live the song is explosive and more emotional than can be explained in text. There's something defining about Thursday being a true "live band" with the lines "all those nights in the basement, the kids are still screaming: 'on and on and on and on'" being screamed by everyone in the venue.

"Ladies and Gentleman: My Brother, The Failure", a song featuring Cursive's Tim Kasher on the album, comes off unfortunately weak live, though it could easily be one of Thursday's strongest live tracks with an improved performance of Kasher's lines live. As it stands, guitarist Steve Pedulla seems to handle the lines, but his delivery isn't right, and his microphone is way too low. Perhaps letting keyboardist Andrew Everding handle the duties would fit better, though I'm not sure the band even realizes that it's coming off so weak; someone should tell them.

By this time, Thursday is more than halfway finished for the evening, but it feels like they've just begun. Indeed, time flies when the band is on stage; there is never a dull moment.

Before kicking into the sexually charged (and setlist staple) "Signals Over The Air", Geoff wished everyone a happy new year, and reasserted Thursday's beliefs that every human being is equal: gay, straight, black, white, male, female, or otherwise; that to party with the band this evening should convey those thoughts. Like many Thursday songs, "Signals" comes off more powerful than could ever be recorded in the studio.

Two numbers from Full Collapse followed; "Autobiography of a Nation" first, one of the most intense tracks of the evening. The energy builds with a long instrumental before the crowd kicks off with "Write these words back down!", and it immediately feels like 2001 again--and that's a good thing.

"Cross Out The Eyes" featured Nathan Gray, vocalist of the now-defunct, but quite important post-hardcore outfit, boysetsfire (a band Geoff proudly joked that Thursday ripped off when starting out). Gray didn't do much to help the song, and in fact routinely butchered the chorus. His talents would have been properly served screaming the song's final lines, but instead the lines were omitted entirely.

"The Lovesong Writer" was the last song the band played of 2007; interestingly, I had a long conversation with Geoff about the song earlier in the day during happy hour. To get to that point, however, it requires a little back story:

Always puzzled by the first few lines of "I Am The Killer", I asked Geoff what exactly is being said. He chuckled, but then began to think about it and in fact had no idea. He said that he was working out lyrics in the vocal booth during the recording of Full Collapse, and that he was mumbling them softly, and it was actually caught on tape. The lines were sped up, and eerily inserted into the beginning of the track--the band loved the unplanned result, and it remained during the song's final mix.

I was forced to comment on my love of "Oh Comely", the important eighth-track on Neutral Milk Hotel's In The Aeroplane Over The Sea, and the nearly inaudible "oh shit!" being yelled at the song's close, and how it seems quite comparable to the first seconds of "I Am The Killer". Getting Geoff started on Neutral Milk Hotel (and consequently Jeff Mangum) was more insightful than possibly imaginable (or writable here, in fact, at his request).

I learned that "The Lovesong Writer" was Jeff Mangum; with a few more private facts in place, and another listen to the song, it's undeniable. Geoff's stream of consciousness in the song is undeniably Mangum-esque, and even its first lines draw reference to "Oh Comely".

Concluding our discussion on a subject that we could have talked about for hours was Geoff's recommendation of Zach Condon (as Beirut)'s Gulag Orkestar--he compares Zach to Mangum; I'm actually a few clicks away right now from seeing if I can get it on iTunes.

Cut back to Thursday's show, and "The Lovesong Writer" hit me in an entirely new way that evening when the band closed the year with it. Taking a brief break (read: encore), they came back moments before midnight to countdown the new year.

As the the clock struck midnight, the unmistakable "Jet Black New Year" riff kicked in, balloons fell, and the Starland crowd exploded. For the first time in years, the song felt fresh, and important. The night--well, the concert portion, anyway--finished with the second part to "Jet Black New Year": "Tomorrow I'll Be You", a song that the band attempted a few years ago during their annual holiday shows.

Once again, unfortunately, the band didn't do the song justice. Not to lay the blame on drummer Tucker Rule (whom I consider an excellent drummer), but the song's timing was completely off the entire song, and it was quite unfortunate that one of Thursday's best live shows ended on that note. The song itself is one of the band's best songs; if they manage to get it down, however, it could be one of their best live songs. The setlist at a glance:

Dead Songs
Between Rupture and Rapture
The Other Side of the Crash/Over And Out (Of Control)
Understanding in a Car Crash
Sugar in the Sacrament
At This Velocity
Division St.
War All the Time
Ladies and Gentleman: My Brother, The Failure
Signals Over the Air
For the Workforce, Drowning
Autobiography of a Nation
Cross Out the Eyes
The Lovesong Writer
Jet Black New Year
Tomorrow I'll Be You

After the show, Starland held a 21+ party until 2AM. The DJs spinning left much to be desired, but the party was a nice way to still have the "out at a bar on New Year's Eve" experience after the show. Watching the lightweight girls (and guys, surprisingly) take drunken spills was funny, and I had a few good conversations with fellow Thursday fans.

The shenanigans began quite informally after 2AM, though. After a short drive from the venue, we arrived with the guys in Thursday to party at their nearby hotel. Drinks, wildness, and discussions about a wide array of topics (Sailor Jerry, Hillary Clinton, Led Zeppelin vs. The Who, Zeitgeist, Idiocracy, world-wide currency, Zodiac signs, Prince, and everything in between) highlighted the hotel party that spanned many rooms and, later, a nearby Wawa.

An excellent concert turned into a fun after-party is certainly my preferred way to ring in the new year. Thanks to Jess Garcia for greatly helping me out earlier in the afternoon, and special thanks to Geoff, Steve, Josh, Joshie, Tucker, and Dave for being especially hospitable and kind that evening. To everyone I met for the first time, it was fun, and I hope you all have a great 2008.