Review: Various Artists- A Tribute To Alkaline Trio (2011)

Band: Various Artists

Release: A Tribute To Alkaline Trio

Genre: Pop Punk/Rock

Label: Pacific Ridge Records

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pacificridgerecords

Tracklist:

1. Spontaneo – Clavicle
2. Bright and Early – Stupid Kid
3. Punchline – Madam Me
4. Allister – My Little Needle
5. And Then There Were None – If You Had A Bad Time
6. The Lion Faced Boy – You’re Dead
7. The Material – Bleeder
8. Joe Wilson – Goodbye Forever
9. I Can Make A Mess Like Nobody’s Business – Southern Rock
10. The Promise Hero – Sorry About That
11. The SpacePimps – Jaked On Green Beers
12. Jonah Matranga – I’m Dying Tomorrow
13. Rob Huddleston (of Ann Beretta) – Help Me
14. Into It. Over It. – Message From Kathlene
15. My Arcadia – Maybe I’ll Catch Fire
16. When We Team Up – WarBrain
17. Hold For Swank – My Standard Break From Life
18. Weatherstar – Radio
19. Barely Blind – Nose Over Tail
20. The Catastrophe – Tuck Me In
21. Floral Terrace – This Could Be Love
22. August Premier – Sun Dials
23. Jesse Ponnock – All On Black
24. United Federation of Planets – Exploding Boy
25. Rattlesnake Gunfight – Another Innocent Girl
26. Promise of Redemption – Take Lots With Alcohol
27. Ramona – You’ve Got So Far To Go
28. Koji – She Took Him To The Lake
29. The Story Changes – San Francisco
30. The Icarus Account – 97
31. Still Rings True – My Friend Peter
32. The Composure – Sleepyhead
33. Time & Distance – I Lied My Face Off
34. Future Idiots – Sadie
35. In Bloom – Keep em Coming
36. Straight Outta Junior High – Fuck You Aurora
37. Washington Square Park – Cop

Review: 8.7/10

Most tribute albums that are put together like this: Make it of a well known artist, toss on a few really well known and current bands, and toss on some bands no one has ever heard of before in hopes that they get more attention. The good thing about this two disc extensive tribute is that I don’t get that sort of marketing vibe at all. This is definitely the epitome of all Alkaline Trio tributes, with bands such as The Wonder Years, I Can Make A Mess Like Nobody’s Business, Into It. Over It., and The Lion Faced Boy, along with a whopping thirty five other bands all contributing to preserving the legacy that is Alkaline Trio. It covers all periods of the band’s career, except for the latest studio album This Addiction.

I had just learned of The Lion Faced Boy two days before I started this review, and this is a band I’m very impressed with. They covered the song “You’re Dead” and they play it true to the original, without changing the arrangement of the song at all, which is something that I can’t stand to hear. This is one of shining points on this whole tribute, as Rob’s vocals just sound… so right for this.

I was surprised to see The Material on this tribute. If there are other female covers of AT I don’t know about them, but this is the first I’ve heard. On their cover of “Bleeder,” Colleen’s voice draws your complete attention into the song over subtle bass before it heads straight into crisp and clear pop punk territory with basic drumming and guitars that stay true throughout the song. Colleen’s voice has improved a hundred fold since the last time I listened to this band (which was on their ep back 2007, though I could be wrong about the year).

Spontaneo’s opening cover of “Clavicle” is quaint at best. The vocalist really rings into my ears and is set too sharp (though that was probably at fault of the mixer) and the guitars sound a tad messy, though it’s not a really bad cover. The best part is at the end when the vocalist projects his voice more outward and leaves off on a real powerful impression.

I had the pleasure in reviewing The Story Changes latest EP This Is Your Moment (which you can read on my site Here) and it really made me a big fan. So when I heard they were going to be on this tribute, it gave me more of an insight that this was going to be a tribute album to remember. Although this is certainly not the best song on the tribute, it is another excellent example of the band staying true to the original. The tempo is set slightly higher and the guitars are deeper, but other than that I was pleased at how well it turned out.

Definitely goes down in my list as the best tribute album of the year. Now for my confession: I never was a huge fan of Alkaline Trio. I don’t own any of their albums on my iPod, but I don’t dislike them either. They just never stuck out for me. This tribute had me re-thinking that however, and I plan on buying “Goddamnit” very soon.

Stream and download the full 39 track album here through Pacific Ridge Records: http://pacificridgerecords.bandcamp.com/album/a-tribute-to-alkaline-trio

Interview: Cory & Tahm of Troubled Coast

From left to right: Cory (Guitar/Backing Vox), Brandon (Guitar), Randy (Bass), Tahm (Drums/Backing Vox), & Mile (Vox)

Interview @ 4/3/2011

Add Troubled Coast here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Troubled-Coast/125546696562

Having just released their new album "Letters" on Creator-Destructor Records, Troubled Coast is bringing poetry and raw energy to the post-hardcore/pop punk genre few bands have tried at and succeeded. To understand them a little bit better and where they draw their influence from (Hint: it's Thrice), we decided to have this interview for the fans. For the album review, click HERE

1. So when did you form your band? How did you all meet?

(Cory)We started writing the beginnings of our first album in Spring of 2009. The line-up has changed a couple times since then, but our current group of dudes has kinda known each other for a while. Me and Tahm have been friends since early high school. We all knew each other from previous bands and seeing each other at shows, back when there was a scene.

2. What decides that the time is right to go into the studio to record an album? Or is is an ongoing process?

(Cory) Tahm writes most of the material, and when we get a good number of songs fine tuned, we start preparing for recording.

3. Tell the readers a little about your new album Letters and the overall message of the album.

(Tahm) Letters is a mix of a bunch of different influences. It combines all of the styles of music we like to play into one album. 

(Cory) Musically, we definitely spent a lot more time molding our sound into something we could be proud of. As for the message, I think we just want people to take what they want from each song, and the album as a whole.

4. It certainly was a fresh, new sound and familiar at the same time. I feel that is the perfect blend for anyone that listens to music to experience. So what idols do you bring your influence from?

(Tahm) The dudes from Thrice, Dallas Green (City And Colour), Arizona Iced Tea, Aaron Weiss (mewithoutYou), BTBAM, Spiderman, Master Chief.

(Cory) Thrice. As Cities Burn. The Chariot. Maps And Atlases and all the Seattle math rock.

5. Imagine you're at a concert and a member of a band gets abducted by aliens right before they go up. They ask you to fill in. What band would that be?

(Tahm) Thrice or BTBAM.

(Cory) Thrice.

6. If you could play on your dream tour, what bands would be on it?

(Tahm) Thrice, Alexisonfire, Millencolin, Moving Mountains.

(Cory) Thrice, As Cities Burn, Incubus, Gwar, John Mayer, Defeater, The Chariot, Tegan and Sara, us, and Thrice again. In that order. We would tour the world twice.

7. Ah, seems like Thrice would definitely be your biggest influence musically. I mean, who honestly doesn't like them? What would you say was your biggest challenge as a band?

(Tahm) Not rushing into things. We haven’t been around long enough to deal with too many problems.

(Cory) Balancing a band with the other aspects of our life.

8. So far, what are your favorite venues and cities to play in? Favorite covers to play live (if applicable)?

(Cory) We play at Submission in SF a bunch, and that’s always a good time. CYC in Fresno is great also. We definitely need to play more covers live. They’re so fun.

(Tahm) The Quesadilla Factory in Centralia, Washington. So good.

9. What is your strangest gig?

(Tahm) When nobody showed up to our show in Grants Pass, OR.

(Cory) Yeah, the only people there were the bands and the venue owner. And two dudes that showed up to check on their band’s upcoming show.

10. Yeah I can only imagine what that must have felt like. But it's only because they don't know you guys just yet haha. What was your first song as a band?

(Tahm) Chasing Windmills.

(Cory) A straightedge song in a band with 1 straightedge member.

11. Any shout outs you would like to give?

(Cory) James Phillips. We love you and thanks for helping us so much in the studio. Thank you Seahaven for a sweet tour/vacation. Thank you Elise for lending your amazing voice to this album.

(Tahm) Hi Mom. Thanks for always believing in me.

12. Any last words for your fans, cats and iguanas of the world?

(Cory) Listen to Lagwagon.

(Tahm) Thanks to anyone who has listened to our album, bought any merch, or came to our shows. We appreciate you guys.

(Cory) Ditto. We don’t make any money off of this, so we love to see people enjoying our band. It keeps us going.


*Red Sky*

Review: Troubled Coast - Letters (2011)

Band: Troubled Coast

Release: Letters

Genre: Post-Hardcore/Pop Punk

Members: Cory, Mile, Tahm, Brandon, Randy

Label: Creator-Destructor Records

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Troubled-Coast/125546696562

Buy Here: http://www.troubledcoast.bigcartel.com/product/letters-cd

Download "Vagabonds EP" Free Here:  http://troubledcoast.bandcamp.com/album/vagabonds-ep

Tracklist: 

1. Amends

2. Wolf Republic

3. Breathing

4. Night Drives

5. It's Not Good For You

6. Drug Halo

7. Feigned Belief

8. XX/XY

9. Absent Father, Holy Ghost

10. Me And My Shadow

11. A Shallow Place

12. Love

Review: 9.2/10

Standout Tracks: Breathing, XX/XY, Absent Father, Holy Ghost

To describe this album in one sentence, it would be "sounds like a college grade poetry coupled with awesome, atmospheric music that stands behind the sometimes spoken, sometimes screamed vocals with bits of pop punk thrown in to mix it up." But this is a review, so I can't get away with just one sentence. Back in 2005, I ripped mewithoutyou's album "[A->B] Life" from my local library and loved it immediately. "Letters" brings me back to my junior year in high school and took me back in time. Sometimes, bands over-structure their music and strive to perfect it, and every once in a while you need a raw, poetic album to turn on, play from start to finish, and just get lost in the music. A lot of bands lose their roots and I think Troubled Coast can set others who listen to them on the right track. 

"Amends" is a good intro to the album while giving listeners a sneak peek as what to expect. "Breathing" wouldn't be too out of place in a Thursday album by giving soft, spoken lyrics and screaming lyrics over powerful guitars and body moving drums, then throw in some post-rock noise in for good measure. "Night Drives" reminds me of Underoath's "The Impact Of Reason" in some sort of sense. Not too sure if anyone else will get that same sort of vibe but thats what I thought. "Drug Halo" is an interlude of sorts while giving some pop punk influence into this mostly post-hardcore album, then it's over a little too fast. "Feigned Belief" gives some more of that much needed pop punk feel with the standout bass and some lyrics for the fans to scream to at the end. "XX/XY" is my favorite song by far. It has some of the best lyrics I've heard in a very long time. I won't give them away here you will just have to listen to the track yourself. "Absent Father, Holy Ghost" is the song you can't predict how it will end. You start off thinking it's going to be a atmospheric song with huge soundscape, before going off into fast, punk driven mosh pit only to begin where it leaves off at 1:16. "Me And My Shadow" heads back into the lose yourself into the music mode that you can only experience if you tune out all other noises around you and let go of all worries. Only then can you begin to examine and experience what this band succeeds in. "Love" wraps up the album with a straight ahead no holds barred energy filled song, with its screams and pummeling drums to snap you out of whatever vibe you're in.

As stated, this is an album to get lost to, so it was a little difficult to pick the stand out tracks. All of the songs blend into each other quite nicely. Depending on your musical taste it can be either a good or a bad thing. Kudos to the band and a big time kudos to whoever did the mixing on this album. This is a must have for anyone's collection. For any major label representatives reading this, SIGN THESE GENTS NOW!!!

For Fans Of: mewithoutyou, Skys Of Fire, early Thrice