Twitchy time signatures, fiercely intricate drum patterns, dualing guitars, and speak/shouting about things not quite right in the world…just what you’ve come to expect from Dischord. Only it’s from Athens, GA’s Hello Sir Records. The band’s called Cinemechanica. I don’t want to say they’re a breath of fresh air…more like a swift punch to the gut that knocks the wind out of you and pauses life for a second and THEN is followed by a breath of fresh air that fills your lungs that makes you choke and sputter but glad to be breathing again.
As an aside, Cinemechanica’s dummer Mike (he of the fiercely intricate rhythms) sent me and I’m sure a number of other bloggers an email from the road back in early April stating honestly and openly that he loves the record they just put out called Martial Arts and he knows it won’t be the next big indie hipster phenomenon but it’s everything he hoped it would be and if I’d just listen to it and give feedback good or bad he’d feel validated because, at the time, no one seemed to be paying much attention and they were touring and working their butts off to get the word out and he was running out of ideas. I’m paraphrasing because it was a well written email and I don’t want any other bands out there who might have the same sentiment to bite his lines. So there, Mike, is your feedback: good email, even better music.
You want the bad news or the good news first?
Frenzied. Snarling. Catchy. Fun. The first four words that describe the Soviettes. Not to be confused wtih the Soviets. The perfect soundtrack for working out at the gym on the Stair Master. Just be careful not to break the thing!
Being around my old college friends a few weekends back brought back a craving for cheap Mexican food and ska-punk, which I’ve had a hard time satiating for some reason. So I was stoked when Grant Lawrence included this scorching new (to me, at least) track from Vancouver, B.C.’s Subcity Dwellers on the latest 
I came across No Trigger while doing business with their 
Parts & Labor is a Brooklyn trio that makes some noise — some very noisy noise. Don’t let that deter you if it ain’t your thing, because the way all that noise is organized on “A Great Divide,†well, it’s darn near rapturous. Screaming guitars, drums pulsating like helicopter blades, vocals shouted through a bullhorn, bleeps and burps and explosions like a Radio Shack under siege — and it all comes together like there’s a riot in your headphones and everyone’s invited!
Given the 
Man, I love me some good old-fashioned punk rock. Western Addiction hit the spot. Ask a 14-year-old kid today where to turn for punk rock and you’re liable to get a dose of anything from NOFX to Taking Back Sunday and plenty of stuff in between. Different strokes for different folks. Punk’s never been about one sound anyway. But when I was 14 some of the best punk rock sounded a lot like Western Addiction. And it’s good that that sound has held up for years because every generation deserves their very own Black Flag and Minor Threat.
I should feel old, like the subject of Lagwagon’s “Falling Apart.” The whole flashback sequence that led to this post was triggered by my pal/former housemate Brent announcing he has a second child on the way — and Brent has always been one of my YOUNGER friends. Yeah, I should feel old. Lagwagon probably should, too, considering the flashback took me to a photo shoot for 
I thought I’d impress the lady and take her up to L.A. to see a