Six Bands, A Local College Campus and No Booze. What Could Possibly Go Right?

Ever since our favorite watering hole and go to place for music Maxwell's closed. 
Shows in Hoboken have been few and far between. While DC's and Northern Soul offer a place for local musicians to play. They don't seem to come remotely close to what the aforementioned club provided week and week after week. So when I heard that an all ages show was taking place just around the corner from me. I was more than happy to take a walk up that hill to the scenic grounds of Stevens Institute of Technology. Though I had heard about shows taking place there in the past. I never had the chance to attend. 
My first impressions of 1 Castle Hill Rd. were very good ones. A large, open room with lofty ceilings and plenty of room for the bands, merch tables and lounging. The music of 
Sunny Day Real Estate, Jawbox and other favorites washed over the speakers before the show started and everyone in the vicinity of the building seemed open and friendly. 
$10 dollars at the door and an X on my hand and I was ready for anything. Here's how the night progressed. James Damion

Loose Ends opened the night and impressed
everyone in attendance. With the size of the room being as large as it was. It was good to see so many people within spitting distance of the band. This was my first taste of this New Jersey Hardcore band. They've got a seven song EP available on Bandcamp available.
Aside from that, I couldn't find much info.

Loose Ends Bandcamp

Just prior to the shows late start I bumped into the singer for Brain Slug. At the time, he seemed to be one of the only people in the room old enough to speak to without getting the cuffs put to me. The bands name quickly reminded me of that old smuckers jelly commercial. "With a name like Brain Slug, they have to be good." If that wasn't the understatement of the week, I got nothin' for ya son. Talk about taking things to a new level. As I stood there, I couldn't help but think it might be too early in the show for a band to be this good. The truth is they were. These Noo Yawkers raised the bar pretty high. They even greased it up a bit for anyone that followed. Intense stuff.
I downloaded their two song EP from Bandcamp this morning. It more than put the fire in this old mans belly. I really can't wait to hear more from this band. It's good to know they're close enough to keep tabs on.

Brain Slug Bandcamp

Living Laser, one of the two bands I had any prior knowledge to followed. I first learned about the band from co-blogger Dave G. and his positive reviews. Needless to say, they were one of the key reasons I decided to show up that might. From the first chord to the last note, the band, led by lead singer who can best be described as a human catapult. Forget the trampoline. Jay is his own rocket launcher. The band quickly exceeded my already lofty expectations while leaving me physically exhausted. If Living Laser ever decide to change their name.
I think "Lightning in a "Bottle would be a good choice. In recent years, my experience with Hardcore shows has almost exclusively involved the forty plus crowd. Getting the chance to see a current band as good as these guys convinces me that there's more to the genre than nostalgia and reunions.

Living Laser Facebook

Altered Boys, another band I grew fond of through a couple of EP's I pulled from the Grave Mistake Records catalog. One of the intriguing element of Grave Mistake and Sorry State records is that so many of their releases and bands carry somewhat of a mysterious anonymity about them. It's always an added bonus when you can put a face on a band you like by seeing them live. The band delivers a wide array of noise and debauchery. From straight Hardcore to more dark dissonant sounds. The bands sound covers a lot of ground. Lead singer Geoff made the most of the rooms space while engaging the crowd and welcoming the crowd to sing along. Getting to see them live for the first time gave me a sense of closure while opening the doors for future opportunities to catch them live.

Altered Boys Facebook

As Altered Boys finished their set. I thought of heading home. Tired, hungry and a bit battered. My tank was low. Luckily, a trip to the bathroom for some fresh air was enough fuel to get the engine restarted. Within minutes, it was time for Lovechild to do their thing. Just prior to their set I caught a glimpse of the band and thought to myself. "These guys are quite fashionable." "Could they possibly be that good a band." Thankfully, this Boston area band sound even better than they look. Insanely good Hardcore Punk with an energy and emotive feel that won me over instantly. Throughout their set I found myself hoping they had a ton of EP's at the merch table and were already planning a geographical move to my area code. An inspiring band in every sense of the word. They served as a reward for "Best decision to stick around."

Lovechild Facebook

Closing out the night were Code Orange Kids. It had been one of those perfect nights where the energy and momentum grew with each set. an all inclusive event where the crowd ignored the common practices of creating a self imposed force field between themselves and the band. Pennsylvania's Code Orange Kids made their trip north an unforgettable one. The band delivers a raw Hardcore sound that can easily be compared to Black Flag's earliest days. An added metal infusion that immediately had me thinking of one of my favorite bands Kylesa. The band didn't close the show as much as they shut it down. Considering what an amazing night it already was. Code Orange Kids set was one of epic proportions. One that will most likely stay with me for years to come. Thanks to all the people and bands for convincing  me  I'm definitely not too fucking old for this shit.
Until next time. James Damion 

Code Orange Kids Facebook

Interview of the Week; Covering the Basses with Speed the Plough's Cindi Merklee

Cindi Merklee is a New Jersey based musician/bassist currently enlisted in the growing family known as Speed the Plough. Her musical journey can be traced back to the 90's when she joined her brother Joe Merklee in the indie meets power pop act Balloon Squad. Years later she resurfaced with the alt. rock outfit The 65's. Since that time we've crossed paths numerous times at shows, sat for some portraits and kept in touch on Facebook. Since an ill fated 65's interview a few years back. I've wanted to get the scoop on Cindi's musical journey and diverse influences. In part one of our interview, she brings us up to date about her departure from the 65's and becoming a member of STP. Thanks Cindi, 
I can't wait for the sequel. James Damion

James: You recently had the opportunity to play with Mission of Burma at Brooklyn's
Bell House. I remember how excited you were when you first found out. How did the opportunity come about and how did the show go over.

Cindi: Not too long after the
Hoboken Arts & Music Festival last fall J
ohn Baumgartner reached out to Todd and asked him to keep us in mind should he have an opening at The Bell House. Next thing I knew we were on the bill with Mission of Burma in February.  Perfect timing, I suppose. But yes - I was thrilled to be playing the Bell House at all. Having the opportunity to play with Mission of Burma was almost surreal. It didn’t fully sink in until we were loading in.

To be honest I felt we’ve played better shows -
I know I wasn’t in top form, but there were some real good moments where we all really came together. I just wish we had more of those that night. Regardless, our set seemed to go over well and whatever anxiety I had at the end of it was washed away when I crossed paths with
Clint Conley as I headed back stage. He greeted me with a firm handshake and a job well done. Couldn’t ask for a better conclusion to our portion of the night. I’m still smiling about it.

James: Mission was a band that really helped shape my Punk ethos as a teenager.
Their post reunion material has more than cemented that spirit. Did you have any special kinship with the bands music?

Cindi: Sadly they were a band I totally missed the bus on. I knew of them through my older brothers but didn’t familiarize myself with them until Unsound, which is a stellar record.
I’d feel bad about this if they were nothing more than a nostalgia act these days but they’re anything but. They’re still very much relevant and their set at The Bell House ranks among one of the best I’ve ever seen. Inspiring on so many levels.

James: I fondly recall meeting Toni and John through Al Chrisafuli at a 65's show.
How did you come to know them and how did the opportunity to join the band present itself?

Cindi: I’m a little foggy on the details of when exactly we first met but it was definitely a byproduct of being a part of the Dromedary family. It was probably at the first Camelfest or when the 65’s shared the bill with them at Mexicali - I can’t recall which came first.
I’ve known Ed Seifert for years, though. He used to record at my brother’s studio back in the 80s with The Ambivalent Bros.

James: Did leaving the 65's and joining Speed the Plough coincide?

Cindi: There was a bit of a gap between my departure from The 65’s and joining up with Speed the Plough - maybe six months or so. During that time Al Crisafuli had reached out to me to let me know John & Toni were thinking of asking me to contribute vocals to a new song of theirs. Before that came to be, I was invited to their Monday night jam sessions that summer where I found myself among not only my future band mates but also the likes of Dave Weckerman and Glenn Mercer which was kind of crazy for me having more or less grown up in the Hoboken scene. Later that year I wound up recording backing vocals for Speed the Plough on  “Mansion” (which is on the Tag Sale portion of the compilation that was released on Bar None back in September). A few months later I got a phone call from John Baumgartner telling me that Dan Francia had decided to leave the band and asked if I’d be interested in taking over bass duties. I was already on the record so it made sense. Plus I was thrilled to have the opportunity to join them, so it was easy to say yes.

James: As you know, I was very fond of the former and quite disappointed upon hearing you were no longer with them (Recalling your absence at Camelfest II)

Cindi: Thanks, James. The 65’s had persuaded me to stop pushing music on to the back burner. Going to school full time and working 40 hours a week left little time for anything else but Daniel, Joe & John were really supportive. For that I’m grateful. I had been a fan of Shirk Circus, The Dark Brothers, and C.I. Infidels plus Daniel Smith has sort of been a mentor to me over the years (as crazy as that may sound to some, including him) and remains one of my closest friends. Unfortunately the creative relationship within The 65’s ran its course before the potential of that line up was realized, however Dan and I have talked about recording together at some point. The challenge is getting the two of us in the same room at the same time but we haven’t ruled anything out so who knows.

James: I would imagine joining an already established act to be tough. You were joining a family in every sense. What was the process like? Was there any hazing involved?

Cindi: Hazing? HA!! No, none of that but it was a bit intimidating at first trying to familiarize myself with a 30 year catalog (which I’m still becoming familiar with). The family dynamic was another element to consider, though I had been in a band with one of my older brothers for years so it wasn’t a completely foreign concept. Once I got over my initial insecurities it was a matter of finding my place in the band, so to speak. While I haven’t gone in with the intention to re-write every bass part to every song, I’m also not necessarily one for learning a song note for note. I’ll listen to the original and if I feel it the way it was recorded, that’s how I’ll learn it. Otherwise I play what I feel or what I am able to manage while singing. That’s still a challenge for me so in some cases I have dumbed down bass parts so I don’t short circuit. Throughout this everyone has more or less given me a a good amount of leeway - no one has ever said “No, you’re playing it wrong.”

James: What's your involvement / input in writing new songs for the band?
Everyone has encouraged me to bring my own songs to the table which I will get around to but haven’t done yet. As far as the band goes, this is probably the most collaborative atmosphere I’ve had the good fortune to find myself in. Someone will bring an idea in to the room and we all kick it around until it starts to come together (or doesn’t). No one comes in with everyone’s parts charted out. Toni will take notes but on a whole it’s a very organic process. We all come up with our own parts and consider any suggestions that are thrown about. If I come up with a busy bass line for a song John wants to have more of a folk feel to it, he’ll tell me - and has - and I’ll strip it down. Given that our catalog more or less runs the gamut from folk to jazz to psychedelia to indie rock there’s plenty of ground to cover.
My focus is to compliment whatever the song dictates. If that means keeping it simple,
I’ll keep it simple. If it means playing something more propulsive or textured, I’ll take it in that direction. Having the room to stretch out like that from one song to the next is one of my favorite things about this band.

James: How will you be Ploughing forward with the band? Tour, New Record?

Cindi: We’ve played a whole slew of shows over this past year which has been great. We’ve taken a bit of a winter break to get some recording in at Mix-o-lydian but we’re starting to line up shows for the spring. Right now we’ll be heading to Beacon, NY, Brooklyn & Montclair - all in May.  As for the next record - no concrete plans just yet as far as I know. I’m just looking forward to recording the new material and seeing what takes shape.
Speed the Plough For more info on the band

Ski Patrol - Versions of A Life ( Recordings 1979 - 81)

Ski Patrol were a UK  post punk band who were active from 1978 - 1982. The original Ski Patrol discography consisted of four 7" singles of which their first two singles Everything Is Temporary and Agent Orange  are  collected here in remastered versions of the songs. The third ep Cut is represented here with two alternate versions of the songs Cut and Faith In Transmission. The remainder of this Lp is fleshed out with 4 previously unreleased songs, with the song Extinguished  represented in a DUB mix version and a Vocal mix.

Overall, this collection of songs is very cohesive and it plays well as  a full length Lp. I wonder if this attempt at cohesion is what caused this to be a collections of their output from 1979-1981 as their much more uptempo and almost danceable 1982 single Bright Shiny Things b/w Electric Bell Girls is not included or acknowledge as part of their recorded history.

Anyway, if you are a fan of early post punk bands like Joy Division, Early Modern English and Crispy Ambulance then this record is highly recommended.  My favorite Ski Patrol song has always been the hypnotic Agent Orange. However, all of the bands original recordings  are excellent and the previously unreleased songs that are included on this disc are of equally high quality...Dave G.

Dark Entries Records Purchase
Ski Patrol Facebook

The Jonathan Levin Gallery Presents; "Mosh Pits" by Dan Witz

This past weekend I headed to Chelsea's Jonathan Levin Gallery to attend the book signing for "No Slam Dancing, No Stage Diving, No Spikes" As I made my way to the ninth floor and the gallery. I came across two current exhibitions. The book signing event sat amongst the awe inspiring paintings of Dan Witz fittingly titled "Mosh Pits". As I made my way from painting to painting. I couldn't help but appreciate the incredible detail and personality of his works. I felt drawn to the characters and personalities launched into battle by slowed down tribal rhythms. The expressions and detailed tattoos I'd seen countless times in others. 

Dan began his journey as a musician in his twenties before moving on to photography and eventually, painting. His experience photographing mosh pits at shows gave him the ability where he could sense the time, movement and flow of the crowd. Eventually allowing him to capture the energy and emotion in these paintings. I could say so much more but I'll leave it to you to see for yourself. 

James Damion

For more information visit:

Jonathan Levin Gallery

Jonathan Levin Gallery 529 West. 20th Street 9th Floor. New York, NY 10011

danwitz.com

jonathanlevinegallery.com

Adventures in Record Store Day 2014

As much as I love and support the idea of Record Store Day. I've never actually participated in one. Having supported countless independent record stores with most of my disposable income since I was a pre-teen. The thought of waking up at the crack of dawn to stand in line with a mix of blood thirsty record nerds and scalpers looking for that short run of exclusive Record Store Day releases never appealed to me. I work hard enough to distance myself from the holiday's Black Friday nonsense every year. Why would I want to cheapen my passion for music with the retail equivalent?

This past Saturday I left the house at 2:00 pm with the sole purpose of attending the book signing for "No Slam Dancing, No Stage Diving, No Spikes". The opportunity to get the final copies of the books first edition while meeting the books authors Steve and Amy.
As I arrived at the Jonathan Levine Gallery. I was treated to an exhibition called "Mosh Pits" which featured breathtaking paintings from Dan Witz. It seemed like the perfect backdrop to the book signing. After meeting long time Facebook friend Steven Dilodovico and author Amy Wuelfing, I headed downtown with my wife for lunch and some fun in the park.
When she decided she needed to do some clothing shopping, we split up and I headed off to Generation Records to see what scraps were left eight hours after the store had opened.
I managed to score the Farside - "Keep my Soul Awake" 7' on blue vinyl and added
"The Earth Is Flat" by Supertouch to my collection of Revelation Record colored vinyl reissues. Shortly after, I met up with Kayuri, had dinner and headed back to Hoboken.

When we got off The PATH train, Kayuri mentioned she wanted to stop at the local market to pick up groceries. With Tunes records residing directly across the street. I couldn't help but want to stop in for a look. Being that Tunes has quickly become the only record store that provides absolutely nothing I'd ever need. You can imagine my shock when I left the store with just about everything on my imaginary list. 

Overall, my first official Record Store Day was a success. No lines to get in, no lines at the register and not one fat, bald, sweaty guy bogarting the R-S-T section of the vinyl.
Below is a complete list of my purchases.Who needs food and clothing, right?
James Damion

Mosh Pits - Dan Witz

No Slam Dancing, No Stage Diving, No Spikes.  An Oral History of the Legendary City Gardens

Farside - Keep My Soul Awake (Blue)

Side By Side - Gates of Steel (LIVE) Devo 1980 / The Flaming Lips 2013

Side By Side - The Badge (LIVE) Poison Idea 1990 / Pantera 1994

Poison Idea - Getting the Fear / 4 A.M.

OFF! - Learn to Obey

Taang! Records - The First Ten SIngles (Box Set)

Strife - In this Defiance (White)

Surfer Blood - Pythons

Husker Du - Candy Apple Grey

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts 

Glorious Results of a Misspent Youth (Pink)

Supertouch - The Earth is Flat (Grey)

Though not a record store day release it completed my collection of Revelation Records color vinyl reissues. This classic just found it's way into my bag.

LVXVRIA - Peru Punk 7' 1987 Demo

Fast moving Peruvian Hardcore Punk from the late 80's that had an immediate impact on me. Having no prior knowledge of the band and limited exposure to much south of the border punk, I had no expectations whatsoever as to what I was about to experience.
Surprisingly, despite the language barrier,
(The songs are sung and the lyrics are printed in Spanish.) this little obscurity quickly proved the notion that music has it's very own language and the powers of rage and alienation are universal.

Each of the four songs featured offer something interesting and unique with surprising elements of melody and coherent vocals that have an interesting story telling appeal to them.
While the bands sound can best be summed up as Punk. Elements of Hardcore, Psych and to go out on a limb, Folk can be felt throughout.

Being how latin influenced the New York Hardcore scene was at the time of this recording,
I can easily see LVXVRIA being well received at a
Sunday CBGB's matinee.
The simple fact that the demo itself was recorded over a quarter century ago, somehow elicits the explorer in me. I can't help but want to dig deeper into Peru's early contributions to Punk, Hardcore, Psych and beyond. Released on RockSvb records and brought to me by my favorite archivist Freddy Alva of Wardance records.
This was as much a pleasure as it was a surprise. I highly recommend giving it a spin.
James Damion

Wardance Records Comprar aquí

Gameface - Now is What Matters NOW

With the overwhelming amount of underwhelming reunion albums we've heard in recent years it's hard to manage even the lowest expectations when one of your go to bands from your past announces their reentry into the music fray, so when I heard that voice from the not so distant decade known as the 90's declare "We're getting the band back together." I could barely muster a "ho hum".

As someone who spent countless hours listening to Gameface in the 90's and not so distant past, I feel pretty confident in saying this is the best material the band's produced to date. Time apart has allowed the bands sound, song writing and overall gift for melody to grow and mature rather nicely. Though the melodies and harmonies that dominated the bands California sound are still there, they've matured and gotten even better with age. There are some really special moments throughout.
"Regular Size", "Always On" will remind you of everything you loved about the band.
While "Lifetime Acheivement Award" might serve to enlist a new generation of fans.

The album features several guest vocalists including Kay Hanley (Letters To Cleo),
Frank Daly (Big Drill Car), Jon Bunch (Sense Field) and Arty Shepherd (Errortype:11).
"Now is what matters NOW" serves as the follow up to their recent "Come On Down"
seven-inch single, which established their reunion and new label alike in November 2013.

Though I'm not quite ready to buy my ticket to the reunion circuit just yet.
"Now is what matters NOW" proves that you CAN look back while still managing to look forward. James Damion

Equal Vision  Get it Here

Adios Mafia - Hot-Blooded American Awesome

Adios Mafia's "Hot-Blooded Amercan Awesome" is a straight up no holds barred Punk Rock N' Roll party album.  Everything about this cd comes off as a bit tongue in cheek, from the aliases the band members play under, to the  braggadocious one sheet that accompanied the cd and the hand written note that explains how the band gained street cred playing at local crack houses in the Bronx NY.

Moving on to the music, all jokes aside, this cd is pretty damn great. Every song is memorable and infectious with Nick Marvalous providing a voice and vocal delivery that fits the bands style and attitude perfectly.

There is something brewing in the Bronx waters recently...first we get the excellent Poor Lily and now Adios Mafia, as a matter of fact there are musical similarities that can be drawn between the two bands so if your a fan of Poor Lily then you need to give Adios Mafia a listen, and if you have no idea who either of these bands are then you need to put  both bands on regular rotation...Dave G.

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Living Laser - Find A Way

This is the third review I  have done for Living Laser here on UBRS. First I reviewed their demo tape and then a 7" and now their first full length Lp.  This debut  Lp is pretty much exactly what I expected to get from these Hudson Valley NY hardcore veterans. The music itself it mostly fast paced with some really great tempo changes dropped in to keep things interesting. I feel there is a pretty strong Leeway feel to the music, however Living Laser lean more to the new school hardcore way of things and a little further away from the metal leanings that were a big part of the Leeway sound.

Overall, Living Laser have delivered  an excellent album that should appeal to the readers of UBRS...grab a color vinyl copy quick before you wish you had...Dave G.

Living Laser
Purchase

Hispanics Causing Panic In the Early NYHC Scene.

Earlier this month Freddy Alva put me on to his latest post to the Quixotic Dreams blog. 

In this recent post Freddy (Born in Peru) highlights the many contributions hispanics made to the early NYHC scene. Individuals from varied nations and family backgrounds who played a major part in building New York's rarely documented underground. Roger Miret of 

Agnostic Front (born Rogelio De Jesus in Havana, Cuba…passport shown above), 

The Cro-Mags, The Stimulators, Antidote, Heart Attack, Major Conflict, The Mob, 

Token Entry, Leeway, The Casualties and many more. Freddy has a unique gift for story telling and recalling interesting and personal pieces of his and our history. Go check out his blog and see for yourself. James Damion

http://quixoticdreamsnyc.blogspot.com/

Static is a City - S/T EP

After hearing rough mixes of the songs "The Hive" and "Recidivist Mantras" I was rather excited to hear the finished product on
Static is a City's debut EP. Hailing from Raleigh, a city
I came close to relocating to, the newly formed
Static is a City enter the fray with the most impressive debut these ears have heard since Red Hare's
"Nights of Midnight". The band, which features former members of Dahlia Seed (Chris Skelly) and Milemarker (Sean Husick) display a unique ability to allude specific genre trappings. Pairing post hardcore guitar intricacies with math rock precision and vocals that brought me back to so many of my favorite indie/emo bands from the 90's. As this small sampling of songs wash over me, the words "thoroughly impressed" fail to convey what I'm experiencing. Static is a City's debut inspires deeply emotive feelings. The actual record is currently held up in pressing, but will be available in a few weeks. In the meantime, it can be downloaded on iTunes.
For more information about the band, check out their page here. Reverbnation
James Damion

S.O.A. - First Demo 12/ 29/ 80

Imagine yourself as a thirteen or fourteen year old punk rock upstart in love with
Minor Threat and Black Flag.

One who inadvertently finds out that Henry Rollins
and Henry Garfield are one in the same. Linked by some cosmic spaceship between
Washington D.C.'s
State of Alert and L.A.'s
Black Flag. For this Punk
know it all, it was the biggest conspiracy since the
Kennedy assassination.
At the time, not much was known or revered about
State of Alert. Regardless,
the bands sole EP "No Policy" was for most, an unattainable piece of Dischord Records storied past. The only way most of us were able to get a taste of the EP was through the label's "Flex Your Head" compilation, so one could only imagine the shock I felt upon  seeing the bands first demo recordings being made available a good thirty something years later. It was all the excitement this aging punk rocker could manage.

Dischord has done an impressive job in reissuing some of it's classics in recents years. Long lost recordings from Faith, Void, Artificial Peace and many others have been personal highlights for me. Yet State of Alert's 1980 demo and the recent Rites of Spring demo stand out due to the fact that many of us are hearing these recordings for the very first time.
The demo, recorded 12/29/80 with Skip Groff at Inner Ear Studio serves as State of Alert's first ever recordings. Two of the songs ("Disease" and "Stepping Stone Party")
were originally released on the Flex Your Head sampler, while "Gonna Have to Fight"
was included on the band's "No Policy" EP. The songs "Public Defender", "Gangfight",
"Draw a Bank", "Warzone"and "Riot" are presented here for the very first time.

Since it's delivery last week, I've found myself returning to these songs countless times, and getting a taste of what Henry would soon bring to Black Flag. There's a raw power about these songs that made me return to the "No Policy" recordings and wondering why I never placed them higher on my scale of  "must listen" material. The only conclusion one can come to is that in comparison, these recordings are actually better than the No Policy tracks.. The 7' record is pressed on translucent red vinyl and comes with a digital download. File under "Essential."
James Damion

Dischord Records Get it Here

Black N' Blue Bowl 2014 Details Announced

 Black N' Blue Bowl 2014 Lineup was announced earlier this week. 

CLICK BANNER BELOW TO ORDER TICKETS OR VISIT GENERATION RECORDS (NYC) NYHC TATTOOS (NYC) OR LOTUS TATTOO (SAYVILLE, NY)

Click the link below for more information.

The Well Brooklyn

Wreaths s/t album - Killing Horse Records 2014

Re-post of my Wreaths review from 2013. The band had self released their s/t album digitally and made a handful of homemade cd's, but now have gotten an official cd release through the mighty Killing Horse Records...Do yourself a favor and buy a copy of this exceptional debut album from Wreaths and support them live. You will not be disappointed...Dave G

.

Wreaths have been my  favorite local band for a few years now. I've seen them numerous times all around NJ and I have had a few mix cd's etc that the band have given me over the years, and I pretty much loved everything I've heard.  The bands brand new self titled Lp is full of all the songs I have heard live and likely in different stages of development on those mix cd's, but I have to say hearing the songs as a proper collection is a bit mind blowing.

Musically Wreaths songs are an intricate interweaving of psychedelia  and 70's alt rock (Eno comes to mind) with a modern twist. I find the songs to be somehow soothing yet invigorating at the same time. Wreaths create one hell of a good vibe with this album and I am glad they brought me into their musical universe...An absolute top 5 album for 2013 in this listeners opinion..Dave G.

Purchase cd for only $5.00

Street Sects - The Morning After The Night We Raped Death 7"

    Street Sects  is a two man electronic collaboration between Leo Ashline and Shaun Ringsmith who came together following Leo's long time battle with substance abuse, which he has thankfully overcome.  The one sheet explains that the bands musical focus is to use modern sampling  technology to challenge the limits of what HARDCORE music can be , and to my ears they have absolutely succeeded, by creating electronic music that is dark and frightening, but at the same time desperate and achingly sad in some way.   Personally, Street Sects has succeeded in creating a soundscape that somehow awakens my own inner sense of self destruction, and that  is a very powerful emotion to invoke through music.

If you dig emotional music regardless of genre, then I would highly recommend you give Street Sects a listen...Dave G

Additional details:
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The Morning After The Night We Raped Death is the first of five  7" singles that will be released in 2014 and 2015 as part of a Serialized album titled "Gentrification". Each record in the series will be pressed in an edition of 200 black vinyl, and 300 color. The color vinyl will be reserved for a special edition box set, which will be released shortly after the release of the 5th record.

Bandcamp
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On the Heals of their Upcoming Tour. Stuyvesant Debuts New Single "Hell Bent for Heather"

Just days away from their coming tour. New Jersey Power Pop kings Stuyvesant have released a new single "Hell Bent for Heather". Go grab yourself a copy and get a taste of what's to come from your favorite purveyors of mirth. James Damion

Hell Bent for Heather

Getting to Know Essex County's Archie Alone

As much as Essex County's Archie Alone have quickly become a must see live act.
The band has also come to serve as torchbearers for a burgeoning New Jersey
Punk / Hardcore scene. Merging melodic Punk with metallic riffs and emotive vocals.
Archie Alone have quickly earned favorite status with this particular blogger. Since my initial experience with the quintet in May of 2013, I've had the pleasure of seeing the band numerous times at venues including ABC No Rio, The Court Tavern and their home base in Montclair, The Meatlocker. In that time, my curiosity, as well as my appreciation for the band have grown considerably for the band. After a recent show at Paterson's WPCS Radio. I decided to speed up the interview process and have the band fill in the blanks while answering some of my curiosities. Thanks to everyone in the band for participating. 
James Damion

James: My experience with and knowledge of the band only goes back as far as the
Spring of 2013. Can you tell me about how the band started and how long before
Archie Alone took shape?

Archie Alone: Since originally forming in 2008 the band has had an ever changing lineup.
In Spring of 2012, that lineup consisted of Nicole Mesce (vocals), Tony Mastrolia (bass), and two former members. We took on guitarist Cindy Ward, whom we had met while playing with her previous band. Shortly after Cindy joined the band, Nicole suggested her friend,
Pete Lepore, as our second guitarist. Thus filling the vacancy. After playing throughout the Summer and Fall. Our drummer decided to leave. His position was soon after filled by
Pete Clark, a former band mate of Cindy's. Since our first show in January of 2013,
the lineup has remained the same.

James: You mentioned Cindy was in a band prior to coming over. What was the bands name? Are they still playing together?

Archie Alone: Cindy was in a Metal-core band called Fantazma. Our current drummer Pete Clark actually joined them towards the end of their run. Fantazma has since called it quits.

James: Cindy, a few months back I began hearing about a side project.
Can you tell me a little about the band and how it differs from Archie Alone?

Archie Alone: This actually ties in perfectly with your prior question. Cindy's side project ironically consists of members that were all at one point in Fantazma. The new project is called Sightings. Pete Clark plays drums for them as well. The best way to describe it is alternative metal/hardcore. The genre can be pretty ambiguous at times. It differs greatly from Archie Alone primarily because it is heavier music with female screaming vocals.
It does compare with Archie alone however, in that it's aggressive and dynamic.

James: The name makes me think of two things. Old Archie Comics and Archie basically taking things into his own hands. Does the name hold any meaning to you or was it just something you pulled out of your hat?

Archie Alone: The name of the band actually came from
Tony's brother who had suggested it in passing.
When the time came for us to record our first demos, the sound engineer we were working with needed a name to put on his schedule so we used Archie Alone as a fill in for the time being. Its stuck ever since. The name "Archie Alone" comes from an episode of Archie Bunkers Place, a
spin-off of All in the Family. In the episode Edith, Archie's wife, passes away.

James: Back in the Summer we spoke briefly about an album and
(my hopes of a vinyl release.) In recent months I've heard talk about you recording.
How far have you come? How long before we get our greedy hands on a copy.

Archie Alone: We started recording late fall of 2013 and hope to release the full length in late Spring of 2014. We are shooting for about 10 to 12 songs and will be pressing them on CD's as well as availability online (iTunes, Spotify, etc.) Vinyl would be a nice addition in the future but we have no current plans on it.

James: The first time I saw you live, I was there to see Nick Lee and Moon Tooth.
Since then you've toured with them and Polyphony. How did that come together?
What were some of the highlights? Lowlights and shameful moments?

Archie Alone: The first time we met Moon Tooth was at the show you mentioned at
Dingbatz in Clifton, NJ. We took a real liking to them musically and personally.
We collaborated with them and played a few shows here in jersey and Long Island.
As for Polyphony, we met them through practicing and playing at the Meatlocker in Montclair, NJ. They are also a great group of musicians. Through getting to know them we decided to do a mini weekend tour with both of them. A few memorable moments with
Moon Tooth were hanging out here in Jersey, making them breakfast after a show at the Meatlocker, and other "extra curricular" activities. A lowlight of the weekend tour with the three bands was when Polyphony got "shunned" to the upstairs part of the venue we played in Philly due to the fact they're not all 21+. Luckily they still got to play, but they were not allowed to watch any of the bands because there was a bar. We all laugh it off now but it was definitely a bummer when it happened.

James: Your sound is self described as Pop Punk, Melodic Punk and even Alternative, Personally, I hear a lot of Metallic riffs coming from Cindy's guitar. It kind of gives the band a sound those genres rarely deliver. Is that trait something that creeped it way into the bands sound over time? Or was it there from the very beginning?

Archie Alone: Yes, heavier, more metallic guitar parts. Elements that gradually made their way into the band. Especially since the additions of  Cindy and Pete. Their influencs by heavier genres of music definitely played a part. Pete's influences consist of Have Heart, Strung Out and Wilhelm Scream amongst others. Cindy, on the other hand, has experience playing heavier music in her previous band which, thus, carries into Archie Alone.

James: How are the song writing duties distributed? What about the lyrics?

Archie Alone: Pete Lepore, our guitarist, comes to practice with a piece of music and we will all jam on it until we reach a common ground. The song gradually develops over time while going through trial and error with parts that work and do not. With each practice, we bring in new ideas that further develop and give the song more character. As far as lyrics go, they are all written by Nicole, either premeditated or as we write the song.

James: Nicole is one of the most powerful vocalists I've seen in my days. It seems she pours every ounce of energy, sweat and emotion into every performance.
Where is a lot of that coming from? Does it ever take it's toll?

Nicole: First of all thank you, that means a lot. The earlier lyrics that I wrote were based on the past and how I felt at the time. As Archie Alone progressed so did the feelings and emotions that I wanted to discuss. For me personally it's been a realization of my past events and how they do not define me; It has been more of a discovery of who I am as an individual. My main goal is to have people relate not to the specific situation in the song but to the specific emotion in the song. I want it to be personal and relate-able for the listener and the things he or she goes through. Mostly, it helps me theoretically, perhaps because I grew up listening to bands like "Saves the Day" and and even "Title Fight" who have influenced me to write with my emotions.

James: Montclair's Meatlocker seems to be a home away from home for the band. What are some of the benefits and drawbacks of playing a place so often?
Does the crowd change much depending on who you're playing with or does it stay relatively the same?

Archie Alone: The Meatlocker is absolutely our home away from home. We're always there whether we're practicing, playing a show or attending a show. Cindy also books a lot of shows there for touring bands as well. We benefit from playing there because we have met so many great people and bands who we have established friendships with. The shows are always a blast and low-stress.
The drawback may be that sometimes it's the same crowd that is seeing us. While the crowd does change depending on the type of show, there is still a built-in crowd that is typically there every weekend.

James: I couldn't help but notice a rather large SUA button on Pete's guitar strap. I've been a fan of the band since they were called Jellybean. Actually saw them play with Nick Lee's old band Exemption. How do you know them? Have you had a chance to play out with them?

Archie Alone: Pete Lepore knows SUA through his friend Leigh who he met while attending IAR. We have played with them once at a house show in New Brunswick.

James: You've got a big show coming up with Dingbatz with Such Gold. Tell me about that.

Cindy: Yes we do! We are really stoked about this one not only because we all are big fans of Such Gold but it's a show that we finally feel like we fit well on. It is an honor for us to share the stage with a band that we take influence from. Shout out to
Anthony from ACI for making this one happen. We are currently working on a tight set which includes a new song that we just finished. We are really excited to show everyone the new song because we feel like it defines us most as a band.
We hope to continue in that direction. Looking forward to seeing everyone at the show!

Important Links to Archie Alone:
Facebook
Twitter
Sound Cloud
Reverb Nation

Darryl Norrell Talks Science with Tomasz Garnek

North Jersey quintet Science have steadily developed into one of the most entertaining live bands in their area, delivering intricacy and a diverse menu of sounds with post-hardcore vigor. After dancing our asses off at a memorable Clash Bar set late in 2013, we made it a point to track them down. Guitarist/keyboardist/noisemaker Tomasz Garnek took some time to tell us about their impending debut album, their development as a band, and more.
Their single "Any Waking Moment" awaits you on their Bandcamp HERE. They'll appear live at Backroom Studios on March 1st for a Lamplighter-hosted show with The Sound Is Fine and Impossible Voyage, and with Reese Van Riper on March 9th at the Cake Shop.

Darryl: Science's sound seems to have blossomed since we first saw you play at the Meat Locker in summer of 2012. What's contributing to your development as a band?

Tomasz: Oh man, that was a great show, and definitely a turning point for us establishing ourselves in the local scene at that point. This was not long after our original guitarist left and we were trying to reconfigure our band as a 4 piece with Evan taking on lead guitar. Adam Bird of Those Mockingbirds was kind enough to get us in on that show, which was a Tiny Giant Showcase, and we were very lucky to have our sound heard and to network with a lot of great musicians that we are still very close with to this day. I think that show in particular, and the great reaction we got, gave us the confidence we needed to really push our band forward.

Darryl: What influences are at work in your new music? Is there a direction towards which you feel you're steering your sound on the full-length?

Tomasz: Well, I think one of the biggest influences in our new music and just the overall development of our band has been the acquisition of our current bassist, Andy Longo.

When we started Science in 2011, we were a 5 piece but with Alex doing bass duties.
In early 2012, one of our original guitarists left and we were forced to restructure our songs as a 4 piece. We were definitely struggling to find our sound and were leaning more towards pop punk. However, towards the end of the year, we started jamming with Andy, put Alex on guitar duty, and something just clicked.
Andy and our drummer Steve had a really good vibe off the jump and, being the highly skilled bassist that he is, he really made everyone in the band step their game up. We started writing new songs with him and moved away from our pop punk origins toward a more progressive rock sound.
We didn't lose our roots, but I can easily say that Andy was the missing ingredient in this concoction that we call Science.

Darryl: What was the recording process like?

Tomasz: We did the demos for the album at North End Studios, which is kind of like home to us. We have our practice space there and Ed Auletta, the owner and main engineer there, has been extremely supportive to us, almost like a father figure to this band. We've done plenty of demos with him, and he recorded our single "Any Waking Moment", which is currently available on our Bandcamp  HERE. (Shameless plug)
However, for the actual album recording, we went back to Backroom Studios where we recorded our first EP "Don't Panic!" in 2011. All of us have done several different projects with Kevin Antreassian over there, and we really wanted him involved on this recording.
We were lucky to have Ed come up to Backroom during our sessions as well.
We are very grateful to have such a high caliber of engineers and producers involved.

Darryl: What have you found yourselves writing songs about?

Tomasz: Alex generally writes most of the lyrics for our songs. What I personally like about Alex's song writing is that the guy can write a hell of a love song. I'm a sucker for pop, so I always appreciate a good ol' fashioned love song. However, one common theme in our band is that we're all huge nerds. So with the new record we have definitely delved into everything from Sci-Fi themes to life and death, and all that's in between. There's a loose concept of our new record about a man, in an undefined future, witnessing his world being destroyed, and the adventures of his life and death thereafter. It's very much open to interpretation, but there are songs on the new record inspired by things like MegaMan and World of Warcraft, so you can kind of see where our heads are at. Haha

Darryl: Has playing on the road been kind to you so far? How necessary do you think it is for a band to tour these days?

Tomasz: While we try to keep a busy show schedule, we definitely haven't been on the road much outside of the Tri-State area.

Our biggest struggle with the tour goal, which many local bands can relate to, has been acquiring a reliable tour van. We've been using my mom's old mini-van, the Silver Bullet, to get around to local shows, and while we all have a sentimental connection to that van (which is on it's last leg but seems like will outlive us all)
it is definitely not something we can tour with. Last year, we had a choice to either invest in a van or invest in a new record, and we chose the latter.
The next step, after the release, will be to get a good van and finally start spreading our music further. Even with the ability to get your music heard by more people due to the internet and social media, I think touring is still integral to a successful music career, and we very much look forward to it.

Darryl: Here's a chance to let it out. What's one thing we can all do to make New Jersey's music scene a little better?

Tomasz: That's a tough one, but I would say that the New Jersey scene is still thriving. Obviously, times have changed and everyone says, "it's not like it used to be, man", but it's not supposed to be how it used to be. The scene is supposed to evolve and change, and every generation of bands coming out has the responsibility to build on it. We came into this band thinking, "fuck it, there are all of these awesome bands in NJ, and all of these little sub-scenes, we're just gonna play with everyone", and that's what we did. We never pigeon holed ourselves into one genre; we've played with pop-punk bands, folk bands, metal bands, indie bands, rap artists, etc. It's amazing how many connections you make and what kind of camaraderie you start to feel. On our new record, we have several guest vocals from popular local bands, including additional horns and strings from other NJ artists. We wanted everyone to be a part of this record because the NJ scene made us who we are, and we wanted the record to reflect that. So, that's the one thing I could say we can all do.
Work together. Power in numbers.

Darryl: What's next, once the album's release is behind you? What do you guys want for the band going forward?

Tomasz: Well, we still have a little ways to go with finishing the record. Hopefully, everything will be mastered and done by the end of March; after that, we will be focusing on filming a video for our first single and releasing that. Then, we'll probably be shopping the record around for a bit. We would ideally like to have it picked up so we don't self release. That's obviously the dream, and we're thinking positive, but we don't have concrete release plans right now. Besides that, Alex is getting married in September (Congrats!), and, after that, the focus will be a van and touring most definitely. We don't know where this journey is going to take us, but we're definitely looking forward to it. After all, it's just a ride...

Darryl: Time to get serious. Stanley Cup predictions?

Tomasz: Haha, well this is definitely more of Alex's forte, as he's the big hockey fan in the band. He is predicting Chicago vs Rangers in the Stanley Cup, with the Rangers getting that W. So, I must say, Go Rangers!

Science NJ  Website
Science Faebook

Free Download of Those Mockingbirds New Single "A Ballad From Hell"

Montclair New Jersey's Those Mockingbirds are streaming the first single 

"A Ballad from Hell" from their upcoming, yet to be titled debut full length on Soundcloud Click Here to listen and download. For added visual stimulation, be sure to check out the song's You Tube video. James Damion