The Dangerous Summer – Reach For The Sun – Review

Release Date: May 5th, 2009
Record Label: Hopeless Records
Genre: Rock

I approached this record with a cautious ear because I had been told only great things from everyone who had heard it. The hype around some albums can just murder the enjoyment from the eventual moment you start listening. The Dangerous Summer has the home grown modesty on their side however, so even with the early buzz, their new album “Reach For The Sun” and the band had their feet firmly affixed to the ground. Even with a past of name and line-up changes, The Dangerous Summer has managed to stick together through their break out EP “If You Could Only Keep Me Alive” and this new effort, I was impressed not only with their musical progression, but also their determination. read more

Cowboys Ruin Everything

Job For A Cowboy has completed work on their sophomore album, entitled “Ruination” which will hit stores in July through Metal Blade Records. read more

The Suit Stays On

SafetySuit has posted a video for their sing “Stay” online. The video was directed by Zach Merck (Hinder, Blue October) and was just added in rotation on VH1 where the band has been selected as a “You Oughta Know” artist. Check out the video after the jump. read more

The Dangerous Stream

The Dangerous Summer has posted their entire new album “Reach For The Sun” on their Purevolume. The album is set to come out on May 5th though Hopeless Records.

Synthetic Elements – Thrashed Out Paradise – Review

Release Date: May 5th, 2009
Record Label: Filthy Beast Records
Genre: Punk/Ska

It’s not every day you can sit down and check out a “punk ska folk” band. One or two of those combinations sure, but all three? Once in a blue moon for sure. Nevertheless you can call the band Synthetic Elements a lot of things, but at the top of the list is, tirelessly hard workers. Working the punk/ska underground they have played hundreds of shows and even released 4 DIY independent albums. Well that is at least until their Filthy Beast Record’s debut, “Thrashed Out Paradise.” This group of five has shared the stage with bands the likes of Mustard Plug, Maxeen, and Big D And The Kids Table, so counting them out early wouldn’t be the wisest things to do. read more

The Devil Wears Prada – With Roots Above And Branches Below – Review

Release Date: May 5th, 2009
Record Label: Ferret Records
Genre: Metalcore

It almost feels like The Devil Wears Prada‘s popularity appeared as if from nowhere. When their first album, “Dear Love: A Beautiful Discord” was released back in 2006, you couldn’t find a fan of theirs except within the closed off hardcore/metal circle. After the rising success of their sophomore album “Plagues,” is where the pool of listeners trampled in. In love with the outrageous song titles and brash metalcore, their sound was bought in droves by precocious youths looking for an outlet for their perceived distress. Now, after signing to the prestigious indie label Ferret Music, the band hoped to complete their most ambitious release yet. Enter “With Roots Above and Branches Below.” read more

Temple In Moscow

Closure In Moscow has posted their entire new album “First Temple,” for stream online here. The album is set to hit stores on May 5th through Equal Vision Records.

High School Uniform

Karate High School has posted their new song “Punk Rock Uniform” on their Myspace. The song is from their new album “Invaders” which is set to come out on May 19th through Eyeball Records. Check out our review of it here.

Thought You Forgot About Mae

Mae have announced they are going to release a collection of EP’s, (M)orning, (A)fternoon, and (E)vening, April through December 2009 on Cell Records. read more

Annabel – Each And Everyone – Review

Release Date: April 28th, 2009
Record Label: Count Your Lucky Stars Records
Genre: Indie Pop

Effort is an operative word for this writer. Very rarely does a record produced with an enormous amount of labor and purpose – Green Day’s American Idiot serves as an exemplary exception – make me want to listen more than once. Call me Thoreau: I am a man of simplicity; I am a three-chord, verse/chorus/bridge/chorus man; I honed my ears on Blink 182’s Cheshire Cat and Less Than Jake’s Losing Streak. “Production value”, to me, is an oxymoron. So when I accessed the MySpace profile of Kent, Ohio indie/pop/experimental band Annabel, I was stoked to read the tagline plastered adjacent to the cover photo of their most recent album release, Each and Everyone (sic): “Try hard, fucking idiots!” More than minimalism, I am a fan of irony. read more