Dad Punchers- S/T

This is our first post in a year, but I needed to share this record with people.

Dad Punchers is the solo project of Touche Amore/DNF drummer Elliot Babin. He originally wrote and recorded 3 songs in his bedroom in-between TA tours, playing all the instruments himself. He then recorded a self titled full length, with the bassist of Joyce Manor helping out. He sometimes plays shows in California with a drummer and bassist.

This record is incredible. It's happy and sad and nostalgic and fun, all at once. It's one of the few records I can listen to when I want to have fun, and when I wanna be sad. It's awesome, indie-ish punk. Plus, Elliot sings like Kermit the frog (not so much anymore, but on the demo...).

buy it here

download here

State Lines - Hoffman Manor (2011)

1. Driver

2. Getaway

3. You Were a Hurricane

4. Cancer

5. Garvey

6. Cheers, Belmonte

7. Probably in a Notebook

8. My Friends

9. House

10. Hoffman Manor

State Lines are a pretty rad young band out of Long Island, NY, who play music that sorta reminds me of Tigers Jaw, The Story So Far and Into It. Over It.. Hoffman Manor is their debut release. Considering their age (judging from a couple live videos and photos, a couple of the members can't be older than 16-17, maybe 18), this album is totally exciting: I like it more than the most recent albums by the three bands I mentioned earlier.

You should be pretty hooked in by the first track, "Driver," and you'll definitely hear the TJ comparison. The vocal harmonies on this record aren't exactly sophisticated, but they're fantastic nonetheless. Same goes for the lyrics, since they can be pretty teen-cheesy at times. I'm not really digging the meta line in "My Friends" ("And we might die trying to cross state lines/ but we'll never regret it") which is a shame, 'cuz the melody is ballin'. "Cancer," my personal favorite track, has some pretty heavy and intense lyrics that are equally promising. Vocalist Jonathan Dimitri has the youthfulness of Title Fight but other than that it's pretty run-of-the-mill Midwest-y emo singing (not a bad thing at all). Manor is pretty consistent for the most part, only slowing down -- in my opinion, anyway -- during the (aforementioned) eighth track, "My Friends."

Like I said, they're all pretty young so their best musical days are ahead of them. Get stoked.

Recommended tracks: "Driver," "Cancer"

For fans of: Tigers Jaw, Get Up Kids, Saves the Day, Joyce Manor

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Bandcamp

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Hit! Hit! Punch! Punch! - I Think In Spongebob

1. Stupid Jumprope (Intro)

2. Cookie Monster Is Coming For You

3. I Wanna Punch And Kick You In The Face At The Same time

4. Let Me Think... YOU'RE RUDE!

5. Message To Jeffrey

6. Obsessed (Remixxx)

7. CigarettesHUH

8. Shut Your Mouth And Be Quiet

9. Things That Make Me Mad

10. Message To Jeffrey II

11. Pick On Nateesha, Poop On Her Hair

12. Punch You In The Tummy, Punch You In The Buttcrack

13. Mommy Gets On My Last Nerve

14. When I Get Cold I Punch Myself In The Stomach

15. Outroduction

This album came out of a certain music board that shall remain nameless for now. I Think In Spongebob isn't your typical, run-of-the-mill noise punk album -- it's crazy shit. The vocals were recorded via handheld, capturining the disturbing obscenities screamed by some nine year old girl. Sounds like Punch, in a way. This sixteen minute record is equal parts hilarious and horrifying. Just listen to it, goddamn it.

Recommended Track: Doesn't matter.

For Fans Of: Crazy shit.

Mediafire

Glass and Ashes - S/T (2008)

Tracklist

1. Seconds Before The Floor Drops Out

2. To The Point Of Paralysis
3. We Will Hang For This
4. Bird's Eye View
5. Alpha State
6. North Flight
7. Exit Wound
8. Count Back From 10
9. Dead Bodies Skyscrapers High
10. The Rebuttal

I really have a hard time describing this band despite the fact they're nothing groundbreaking. Super fast punk-rawk (I dunno if I'd even call it hardcore). Equal parts Hot Water Music and Every Time I Die is probably the best way to describe it. Certain parts are even similar to Gallows' "Orchestra of Wolves" if you were to turn the suck way down. The song "Exit Wound" sounds like Pelican. This album is an enigma, while at the same time being very straightforward (which makes it more of an enigma, I guess).

Every sentence in that last paragraph could have been it's own paragraph.

It's got guitar solos for fuck's sake! You think you can describe this music better than I? Well listen here, Mr. "I'm a better writer than a random dude on a random blog..."

If I was a better writer I'd probably have been able to finish that insult. But I'm not. Fuck you.

Whatever, I like it.

FFO: HWM, Polar Bear Club, ETID, Kvelertak (I guess), Thrice

Recommended Tracks: Bird's Eye View, The Rebuttal

Link to the Past

Sinkhole - Core Sample (1996)

1. Smell Isn't Everything

2. Dogstein

3. Donut

4. Mush Mouth

5. Far And Away

6. Sunbird

7. Strings

8. Fountains

9. Cherry

10. Don't Fail Me Now

11. Go Ahead, Eat My Pretzels

12. Big Time

13. Madonna, She's A dick

The '90s were certainly an incredible decade for pop punk. Among all of the output from the decade, Sinkhole comes out scuffed and tired in the rubble - forgotten amid more "essential" punk groups. But when it comes to aping Descendents, Sinkhole can ape with the best of 'em. Core Sample was their swan song and magnum opus, a downright delectable upper-mid-tempo geeky punk record. Very few albums in the genre are paced as well as this one, although it only really slows down considerably for two songs ("Sunbird" and "Big Time").

The only skippable song on the album is "Sunbird", if only for the dragging tempo. Every other song is remarkable, especially the first few. Core Sample is one of my favorite tr00 pop punk albums ever, check it out.

Recommended Track: "Donut"

For Fans Of: Descendents, Hüsker Dü, with kind of an early Weezer-y feel.

Mediafire

Spraynard - Funtitled (2011)

1. I Care Not

2. The Denver Broncos Vs. The Denver Broncos

3. O.R. They?

4. Little Green Ghouls

5. We're Pretty Nice People

6. Ah Gun

7. Damn You, A Box

8. Spooky, Scary

9. Homies Where The Heart Is

10. Quite Exciting, This Computer Magic

11. Not Good Enough, Gary

12. Joe Gallagher's Fantasy Fun Camp

Despite the inconceivably large amount of post-Latterman bands that sound like you would expect them to, there are still people who think the world needs more Latterman. People like Spraynard. Propitiously enough, they do it right. They sound like a dilettante imitation of Latterman whilst sounding like they actually know what they're doing at the same time. Some of the melodies sound like they were ripped straight from ...We Are Still Alive, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. The thing that sets Spraynard apart from the pack is the categorically emo influenced music behind the gruff vocals. Latterman+emo. But the record itself is fantastic. Anyone with an interest in emo or punk would be doing themselves a great disservice by not checking this out.

Recommended Track: O.R. They?

For Fans Of: Latterman and emo

Download

Bandcamp

Joyce Manor - Self Titled (2011)

1. Orange Julius
2. Call Out (Laundry)
3. Beach Community
4. Derailed
5. Famous Friend
6. Leather Jacket
7. 21st Dead Rats
8. Constant Nothing
9. Ashtray Petting Zoo
10. Constant Headache

Joyce Manor is a cool band from Torrance, CA that plays emo-imbued punk, Jawbreaker-style. Their self-titled, released earlier this year, is a formidably great album -- the songs are catchy, the arrangements are beguiling, and the lyrics are exceptional. For me, they were love-at-first-listen. I'm led to believe that anyone with a passing interest in emo or punk will find something to like here. The songs are short and to-the-point, so boredom isn't an option.

Recommended Track: Famous Friend

For Fans Of: Big Kids, Jawbreaker, Iron Chic

Bandcamp

Mediafre

Operation Ivy-Energy (1989ish)

LISTEN UP PANSIES

Seriously, I'm sick and tired of seeing stupid "ska kids" wearing stupid checkered shit and old-timey hats. MAN THE FUCK UP PUSSIES. It's all about throwing yourself into potentially dangerous hedges, recording music in some junkie's basement, not calling yourself a R00D BOI, and telling cops to fuck off and stuff.
In fact you aren't punk if:
You don't think Matt Freeman isn't the best bassist in the world.
You haven't sang in an exaggerated Tim Armstrong voice.
You don't know every fucking lyric to this album.
You don't think that this is the best skacore, ska, ska punk, or whatever album.
Also, if you play guitar, and you don't know the riff to Yellin' in My Ear, you suck a lot.

I'm not even going to list recommend songs, because most songs on here are pretty sweet. My buddy Paul should listen (re-listen) to this album, and not to shit like Reel Big Fish.

This is probably one of the greatest albums ever, and all the posters on this blog agreed that this was one of our essential albums. So, get this and listen to it really soon.

STEAL IT
TOO PUNK FOR BANDCAMP

Adolescents - Adolescents (1981)

1. I Hate Children

2. Who Is Who

3. Wrecking Crew

4. L.A. Girl

5. Self Destruct

6. Kids of the Black Hole

7. Amoeba

8. Word Attack

9. Rip It Up

10. Democracy

11. No Friends

12. Creatures

So a lot of us at JOR spent some time compiling a list of albums that we agreed are essential to any (well anyone who would listen to our type of recommendations) music library. The list got pretty fucking big but it's all great stuff. Adolescent's are way at the top of that list (because it's alphabetical), and this album is amazing. If you are a fan of anything punk related and you don't already have this album in your collection, you might suck. Luckily here is your chance to remedy that dilemma. 

Mediafire

-Mike D.

This Charming Man - Every Little Secret (2005)

1. Bleeder

2. There is a Thunder (Out in the Distance)

3. Sometimes You Eat the Bar (Sometimes the Bar Eats You)

4. Cut the Rope (Before It Hangs Us Both)

5. Kiss Me, I'm a Pirate

6. Sweet Delta Blues

Before there was The Gaslight Anthem, Brian Fallon was in another little band named This Charming Man. Every Little Secret... is the only recording they released. Members came and went, and Brian Fallon was the only original member remaining when Benny Horowitz, Alex Levine, and Alex Rosamilia joined. With a new lineup, they changed the name to The Gaslight Anthem and the rest is history. This is a great little EP. It's full of fun songs that just make you feel good. It's also undeniably Fallon-esque in terms of lyrics and vocal melodies. Super catchy, as always. Obsessed with Brian Fallon? No, I'm not obsessed with Brian Fallon. Well. Maybe a little. Just listen to the damn record. It's perfect music for the late night drives where you're not really going anywhere.

last.fm

mediafire

- Jay

The World/Inferno Friendship Society - The Anarchy And The Ecstasy (2011)

1. I Am Sick of People Being Sick of My Shit
2. The Disarming Smile
3. Canonize Philip K. Dick, OK
4. Thirteen Years Without Peter King
5. They Talk of Nora's Badness
6. The Politics of Passing Out
7. Jake and Eggars
8. Lean Times for Heroes
9. The Apple Was Eve
10. The Mighty Raritan
    
    World Inferno is a band from Brooklyn, New York. They sound like what you think of when someone says "This band is Circus Punk"...Except good. They aren't really Screamo or Hardcore at all but as I'm assuming this blog is more about finding diverse and good music that it won't be too much of a problem. They do that whole big-band thing which works out really well. Apparantly, they put on a pretty sweet live show, which I could go into better detail about if I had actually ever gotten seen them live. Youtube it.
    
    Anyways, I first started listening to this band about 4 years ago when I found their album Red Eyed Soul floating around on the web.  It became one of my favorite albums pretty quickly, and I'll probably end up throwing it up here if everyone likes this. This album isn't really as good as Red Eyed Soul but it has some sick tracks on it (Sick of People Being Sick of my Shit, Canonize Philip K. Dick, Jake and Eggers, The Mighty Raritan)
    
    So, If you're in the mood for some Circus-y, rowdy, big-band, and quite frankly really fun songs the you know what to do. C:
    
    Mediafire
    WWJD

-Dylanger

Guidelines- Rules of The Sife (2010)

1. Insect

2. True Colors

3. Warren

4. At The Sky

5. In Retrospect

6. Vanquish

7. Bison

8. Taken Hold

Guidelines are a screamo band from my area (northern New Jersey).  The first time that I saw that I saw them was in a Montclair living room.  It was my first DIY show.  At this time they had 4 members.  I downloaded Rules of The Sife immediately after the show and fell in love.  They were so energetic and passionate live and the music was so incredible.  A few weeks ago I finally saw them again, this time they had 5 members.  They put on one of the best performances I ever saw.  It was a dark basement with only a disco ball for light.  There were less than 20 people watching them.  They were so crushing and powerful and their vocalist was an enigma.  He was writhing on the ground screaming (at times without the mic).  They had evolved from the cleaner, punk sound of their first album to a monster.  Tonight I saw them again.  They were a 6 piece.  They of course put on a killer show.  My band is playing with them in July and I couldn't be more excited seeing as I consider this band to be one of my favorites.

Rules of The Sife is a great screamo album.  It is passionate, interesting, and just all around well-written.  I highly recommend that all fans of screamo and hardcore download it and eagerly await their next as I am).  I promise the new stuff is amazing.

They also have a demo lurking around the internet.  It is basically a few songs from the album with much poorer quality.

http://guidelines.bandcamp.com/

http://www.facebook.com/guidelinesnj

-Thom C.