Fest 10 announces more confirmed bands, gives away free compilation

THE FEST 10 recently announced more confirmations on their website for its big 10-year anniversary of their annual multiple-day, multiple-venue party down in Gainesville, Florida.

Added to the massive roster of bands will be onikers, Kyle Kinane, The Emotron, The Forthrights, Scum of the Earth, Worlds, Rivernecks, Alligator, Mouthbreather, John-Micheal Bond, Billy Wallace, Greys (Canada), Pujol, Kite Party, Teenage Softies, Wet Witch, The Fucking Wrath, Arms Aloft, Despite Everything (Greece), the Ex-Boogeymen, Over Stars and Gutters, Unfun (Canada), Liquid Limbs, Nato Cole and the Blue Diamond Band, Sister Kisser, Dig It Up (Canada), Luke Fields, Chicken Little, Charles the Ospery, Nightmares For A Week, Hold Tight, Vena Cava, Timeshares, Rose Cross, Post Teens, Nightlights, Douglas Shields and the X-Factors, Saint Alvia, Die Hoffnung, Chotto Ghetto, Sister Kisser, Evan Rocha, Luther, Party Drag, International Dipshit, Young///Savage, Kevin Seconds, Mauser, Wavelets and Creepiod.

You can read below for a complete list of bands performing including Hot Water Music, Against Me, Less Than Jake, Bouncing Souls, Lifetime, Dillinger Four, Samiam, Youth Brigade and more.

The festival will take place Oct 28,29 and 30 of 2011. Weekend passes are currently SOLD OUT but organizers are trying to find more venues willing to participate so they can open more weekend passes up for sale

FEST 10 also launched a Bandcamp page where anyone can grab a free downloadable comp featuring some of the artists performing. This will be the first of a six-comp series being released over the weeks leading up to the festival. You can go here to download (or just click on the album art):

Even though the FEST is SOLD OUT, organizers have been working with bands and local venues to help organize two PRE-FEST shows to happen on Thursday Oct 27^th.

Bands performing include Cobra Skulls, Nothington, Banner Pilot, Worn in Red, Bridge & Tunnel, Moutherbreather, Spanish Gamble, O Pioneers!!!, Shores, Caves, Pure Graft, Landmines and Fellowship Project. There are also two TBA special guests to be added at a later date.

Head to the FEST 10 website for venue and ticket information.

Bands confirmed so far:

Hot Water Music, Against Me!, Less Than Jake, Upright Citizens Brigade Comedy Touring Company, Samiam, Ted Leo + The Pharmacists, Defiance Ohio, Franz Nicolay, Lifetime, Bouncing Souls, Youth Brigade, Dillinger Four, Smoke or Fire, None More Black, Paint it Black, Small Brown Bike, Dead to Me, Teenage Bottlerocket, Toys That Kill, Lemuria, Tim Barry, A Wilhelm Scream, Polar Bear Club, Circle Takes The Square, Off With Their Heads, The Holy Mountain, Cobra Skulls, Magrudergrind, Bomb The Music Industry, No Trigger, P.S. Elliot, Trap Them, Dear Landlord, Underground Railroad to Candyland, The Menzingers, The Copyrights, Broadway Calls, La Dispute, Fake Problems, The Soviettes, Cheap Girls, Ninja Gun, Nothington, Good Luck, Shook Ones, Paul Baribeau , The Arrivals, Banner Pilot, RVIVR, Static Radio, Rehasher, Armalite, Screaming Females, Coliseum, The Swellers, Chris Wollard and the Ship Thieves, We Are The Union, Grabass Charlestons, Iron Chic, Mikey Erg, Ampere, Worn in Red, The Measure (sa) [FINAL SHOW], Burning Love (Canada), Tiltwheel, Bridge and Tunnel, Dan Padilla, Blacklist Royals, The Snips (Canada), The Brokedowns, The Bomb, The Catalyst, Algernon Cadwallader, Red City Radio, New Bruises, Shores, Future Virgnis, The Riot Before, Make Do and Mend, We Were Skeletons, Pianos Become Teeth, The Flatliners (Canada), Young Turks, Campaign, OK Pilot (UK), Look Mexico, Dirty Tactics, The Dopamines, The Arteries (UK), Bent Left, SSSSNAKES(UK), How Dare You, Comadre, Grown Ups, Such Gold, Tigers Jaw, Touché Amoré, The Great Explainer, PJ Bond, Carpenter (Canada), Annabel, One Win Choice, Amateur Party, Cynics (UK), Sexy Crimes, Greenland is Melting, Spanish Gamble, Captain We’re Sinking, Senders, O Pioneers!!!, Pure Graft (UK), Caves (UK), Mixtapes, Vultures United, Living With Lions (Canada), Mose Giganticus Mockingbird Wish Me Luck, Whiskey & Co., Protagonist, Dukes of Hillsborough, Max Levine Ensemble, Big Eyes, No Friends, Failure’s Union, 1994!, Landmines, Heartsounds, After the Fall, Cletus, Coffee Project, Savage Brewtality, King Friday, Fellow Project, Gateway District, Worthwhile Way (Japan), Calvinball (UK), Leagues Apart (UK), Glocca Morra (Canada), The Slow Death, The Anchor, Punch, Goddamn Doo Wop Band, Banquets, Old Man Markley, Red Collar, Weak Teeth, Deep Sleep, No More, Reverse the Curse, Assassinate the Scientist, Army of Ponch, Naïve, Capsule, Jeff Rowe, Koji, Go Rydell, Pine Hill Haints, A Great Big Pile of Leaves, Former Thieves, Elway, The Wild, Pygmy Lush, Too Many Daves, Joey Briggs. City of Ships, INxSANE (Slovenia), Spraynard and Vacation Bible School.

THE FEST 10 will host 250+ bands over three days at 11 venues all within walking distance in downtown Gainesville, Fl.

Last year, The FEST 9 had over 5,000 folks in attendance with visitors from 46 states and 14 countries such as Canada, UK, Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Puerto Rico, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

In past years, The FEST has hosted numerous bands such as:

7 Seconds, Able Baker Fox, Against All Authority, Against Me!, Alexisonfire, American Steel, Ampere, Ann Beretta, Armalite, The Arrivals, As Friends Rust, ASG, Assholeparade, Atom and His Package, A Wilhelm Scream, Banner Pilot, Baroness, Bear vs. Shark, Ben Davis, The Blood Brothers, The Bomb, Bomb the Music Industry, Bouncing Souls, The Briefs, Bridge & Tunnel, Broadway Calls, Burning Love, Cheap Girls, Chuck Ragan, Cinemechanica, Circle Takes the Square, Cloak/Dagger, Coalesce, Coliseum, Communique, Das Oath, Dave Dondero, Dead to Me, Dear Landlord, Defiance, Ohio, Dillinger Four, The Draft, Drag The River, Engine Down, The Epoxies, The Ergs, The Eyeliners, Fake Problems, The Falcon, Fifth Hour Hero, The Figs, Finfangfoom, Fleshies, Floor, Frank Turner, The Gaslight Anthem, Ghost Mice, Good Luck, Gospel, Government Warning, Grabass Charlestons, Gunmoll, Hard Skin, Har Mar Superstar, The Holy Mountain, Hot Cross, Hot Water Music, J Church, Joey Cape, Kylesa, Latterman, The Lawrence Arms, Leatherface, Lemuria, Less Than Jake, Look Mexico, The Loved Ones, Lucero, Marked Men, Mastodon, Mates of State, Matt & Kim, Mercury Program, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, The Methadones, Minus the Bear, Municipal Waste, Naked Raygun, None More Black, Off With Their Heads, One-line Drawing, Paint It Black, The Pietasters, Pink Razors, Planes Mistaken For Stars, P.O.S., Polar Bear Club, Pretty Girls Make Graves, Radon, Rehasher, Riverboat Gamblers, Russian Circles, The Sainte Catherines, Savage Brewtality, Seaweed, Sinaloa, Small Brown Bike, Smoke or Fire, SNUFF, The Soviettes, Strike Anywhere, Suicide Machines, The Swellers, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, This Bike is a Pipe Bomb, Thunderbirds Are Now, Tiltwheel, Tim Barry, Tiny Hawks, Torche, Toys That Kill, Transistor Transistor, Twelve Hour Turn, Valient Thorr, VCR, The Velvet Teen, Whiskey & Co., Wow, Owls!, Young Livers and Youth Brigade.

The FEST is put together by the folks who run No Idea Records and Southern Lovin’ PR.

Fest 10 Info:

From No Idea Records:
THE FEST 10 has launched their full website for the big 10 year anniversary of their annual multiple day, multiple venue party down in Gainesville, Florida.
The festival will take place October 28, 29, 30 of 2011. Organizers have planned an alumni reunion from years past to celebrate the big milestone!!! See below a list of bands confirmed so far! The FEST 10 has also opened up weekend passes for sale as well as official FEST 10 hotel bookings. The FEST 10 passes will be available at an early booking special rate of $75 from now until July 1st. On July 1st the price will increase to $100 for the 3 day weekend pass.


Bands confirmed so far include: Hot Water Music, Against Me!, Less Than Jake, Upright Citizens Brigade Comedy Touring Company, Samiam, Lifetime, Bouncing Souls, Youth Brigade, Dillinger Four, Smoke or Fire, None More Black, Paint it Black, Small Brown Bike, Dead to Me, Teenage Bottlerocket, Toys That Kill, Lemuria, Tim Barry, A Wilhelm Scream, Polar Bear Club, Circle Takes The Square, Off With Their Heads, The Holy Mountain, Cobra Skulls, Magrudergrind, Bomb The Music Industry, No Trigger, Trap Them, Dear Landlord, Underground Railroad to Candyland, The Menzingers, The Copyrights, Broadway Calls, La Dispute, Fake Problems, The Soviettes, Cheap Girls, Ninja Gun, Nothington, Good Luck, Shook Ones, Paul Baribeau , The Arrivals, Banner Pilot, RVIVR, Static Radio, Rehasher, Armalite, Screaming Females, Coliseum, The Swellers, Chris Wollard and the Ship Thieves, We Are The Union, Grabass Charlestons, Iron Chic, Mikey Erg, Ampere, Worn in Red, The Measure (sa) [FINAL SHOW], Burning Love (Canada), Tiltwheel, Bridge and Tunnel, Dan Padilla, Blacklist Royals, The Snips (Canada), The Brokedowns, The Bomb, The Catalyst, Algernon Cadwallader, Red City Radio, New Bruises, Shores, Future Virgnis, The Riot Before, Make Do and Mend, We Were Skeletons, Pianos Become Teeth, The Flatliners (Canada), Young Turks, Campaign, OK Pilot (UK), Look Mexico, Dirty Tactics, The Dopamines, The Arteries (UK), Bent Left, SSSSNAKES(UK), How Dare You, Comadre, Grown Ups, Such Gold, Tigers Jaw, Touché Amoré, The Great Explainer, PJ Bond, Carpenter (Canada), Annabel, One Win Choice, Amateur Party, Cynics (UK), Sexy Crimes, Greenland is Melting, Spanish Gamble, Captain We’re Sinking, Senders, O Pioneers! Pure Graft (UK), Caves (UK), Mixtapes, Vultures United, Living With Lions (Canada), Mose Giganticus Mockingbird Wish Me Luck, Whiskey & Co., Protagonist, Dukes of Hillsborough, Max Levine Ensemble, Big Eyes, No Friends, Failure’s Union, 1994!, Landmines, Heartsounds, After the Fall, Cletus, Coffee Project, Savage Brewtality, King Friday, Fellow Project, Gateway District, Worthwhile Way (Japan), Calvinball (UK), Leagues Apart (UK), Glocca Morra (Canada), Slow Death, The Anchor, Punch, Goddamn Doo Wop Band, , Banquets, Old Man Markley, Red Collar, Weak Teeth, Deep Sleep, No More, Reverse the Curse, Assassinate the Scientist, Army of Ponch, Naïve, Capsule, Jeff Rowe, Koji, Go Rydell, Pine Hill Haints, A Great Big Pile of Leaves, Former Thieves, Elway, The Wild, Pygmy Lush, Too Many Daves, Joey Briggs. City of Ships, INxSANE (Slovenia), Spraynard, Vacation Bible School, \…and many more alumni to come!!!
THE FEST 10 will host over 250+ bands over three days at 11 venues all within walking distance in downtown Gainesville, Fl.

Weekend passes are currently available for sale!
EARLY TURD SPECIAL RATE:
3 DAY PASS - $75 (from now til July1st)
*July 1st 3 DAY PASS = $100
Go to: http://www.thefestfl.com to purchase weekend passes/ book hotels/ buy FEST 10 merch.

Interview with Nick McLenighan of The Reaganomics

By Chris Carlton

Squid Pro Quo: Thanks for taking the time to talk with Squid Pro Quo, Nick. The Reaganomics' album, Lower The Bar is out now on Red Scare Records, and the band's been playing a lot of shows. I want to start by asking how the band got together?

Nick McLenighan: "Well, really we were in need of a bit of a break from Ryan's Hope and wanted to try something that was just all about having fun. Greg was writing songs for himself to play guitar and sing on, and I was writing these stupid songs that I wanted to sing on, and Terry caught the bug and before we knew it, we were doing these super low-quality demos and puttin' 'em up on the Internet. A guy named Joe heard 'em, said he would record 'em and that was that. We did the first EP/demo/whatever with just the three of us, and played our first show slightly after in October (or was it November?) of 2009. Been gettin' lucky ever since (with shows)."

SPQ: The band recently played with The Dead Milkmen and The Lawrence Arms at the Congress Theater here in Chicago. That's a pretty awesome bill. How were you guys received by the Milkmen/Arms fans?

NM: "Honestly, I'm not sure. It definitely seemed like we had a really positive response; a lot of people moshing, cheering, etc. We had a bunch of people singing the songs, which was super awesome. But you never really know. A lot of people came up afterward and said, 'great show' and shit like that, which is always nice to here. One review however called us 'green' and had some not-so-nice things to say about the set (it was more or less neutral, I guess). But he sounded pretty fucking typical, so I don't really care about that. So, short answer, yes, I think so. But who knows (laughs)?"

SPQ: I had the chance to see you guys open for Teenage Bottlerocket last year at the Subterranean, and I was won over from the jump! Do you normally win over the crowd easily like you did at the Sub-T?

NM: "Really, we are just glad if people are having a real good time during our set. I guess that means we have done our jobs. We are usually so occupied with having a good time ourselves and making each other laugh, I don't really know how effective our show is at 'winning people over.' I hope we do though, 'cause its fun to do this, and you can't really keep it up for too long if no one likes you. Although, I'm sure we would try."

SPQ: On the track, "Ed Hardy," off the new album, you have Kody from TBR as a guest vocalist. How was it working with Kody?

NM: "Super easy. He was such a nice guy, and he just nailed it right away. We recorded his vocals right after the show at the Sub-T, and he just did it. It was amazing. I was freaking out the whole time!"

SPQ: Are there any Reaganomics shows coming up?

NM: "Yeah, we have one on June 12th at the Beat Kitchen in Chicago with The Bouncing Souls. Really looking forward to it!"

SPQ: Has the band toured outside of Chicago? And are there any plans for a full-length tour?

NM: "The Reaganomics have yet to tour outside of the Chicago area. Really, I think we have only played one show outside of Chicago, which is crazy ' cause we are from Joliet! As of now, I really would like to get out and do some weekends, hit up some new places (maybe some 'old' Ryan's Hope haunts) and maybe do a fest or two. Depends on what we can get, and what we are all available to do. So to answer your question more directly, no concrete plans as of yet."

SPQ: Having 3/4 of The Reaganomics in Ryan's Hope, will we be seeing a combo show with both bands playing in the future?

NM: "That would be really awesome, but I dont know. I really can't say for sure."

SPQ: I know Lower The Bar is still pretty new. Are there any plans on hitting the studio any time soon?

NM: "I wish. That would be cool, but nothing planned as of yet. Hopefully the record sells!"

SPQ: How can fans get in touch with either The Reaganomics, Ryan's Hope or both? Do you have a website where we can find out about news, upcoming shows, new releases and merch?

NM: "You know how the Internet is nowadays: myspace.com/ryanshope and myspace.com/thereaganomix. Or, you can find us on facebook (both bands). I know it sounds lame, but with the cost and time it takes to keep up a website, we just rely on those sites as they are free to us."

SPQ: I want to thank you for taking the time to talk with Squid Pro Quo, Nick. I'm looking forward to seeing you again real soon.

Show Review: Hot Water Music at Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee (May 18, 2011)

Photo from MTV.com

By Jason Duarte

Last night, May 22, Hot Water Music played the Turner Hall Ballroom in Milwaukee, WI. The band was incredible, as always, and last night marked the fifth time I've been lucky enough to see them perform live, and now in two different states!

The show opened with Hostage Calm, which was OK. They had a lot of strange tempo changes and I wasn't digging them. The vocals weren't very good either. Second was Make Do and Mend, which I actually liked a lot. They were a bit heavier, a lot louder and more put together. They still didn't really do it for me, but I liked their stage presence and their set was good, overall. Before Hot Water Music played, a band called Fireworks played, and they were OK as well. They reminded me of New Found Glory, in that they were very poppy and jumpy and high-pitched. The music was good, and I saw Chuck Ragan watching them and bobbing his head, but I couldn't get into it. Luckily, the venue had seating, so it didn't feel like an eternity sitting through three bands to see Hot Water Music (we had also been in Milwaukee since about 2 p.m., walking around, drinking and killing time, so we were already tired).

Hot Water Music took the stage around 10:30 p.m., and opened with "A Flight and a Crash," and it was like suddenly, I had all the energy in the world. the crowd went nuts and instantly, a mosh pit in the middle broke out, lasting the entire set. It was intense, but not violent, just people moving around more or less, and not so heavy on the pushing side. A lot of people fell down, but nobody got injured, which was nice. They played for an hour, and their set was great. I really wanted to hear "Southeast First" and "Free Radio Gainesville," but they played some of my other favorite songs off No Division, so that was awesome. The band looked like it was having a good time as always, and as always, they made it known that they were happy to be there and thanked us all, which is always nice, and puts us more on the same level. Not many bands take a minute to thank everyone for putting them on a stage, but Hot Water Music is among the most humble and it's one of the many little things I love about that band. They maintained a high-energy crowd and I know I was singing along to every song, and was left wanting more after an hour. They left the stage and promptly, a crowd of stomping feet and clapping hands lured the band back to its place on the stage. They played "Hard To Know" and "Turnstile" as an encore before the night was finally over. One of the stagehands handed me a set list and I bought a new Hot Water Music T-shirt, a couple of pins and a copy of their split 7'' with The Bouncing Souls.

Setlist:

A Flight and a Crash

Giver

Rooftops

Trusty Chords

Old Rules

Jack of All Trades

Paper Thin

Poison

Our Own Way

All Heads Down

At the End of a Gun

Wayfarer

The Sense

Swinger

Remedy

Manual

Encore:

Hard To Know

Turnstile

Stream 'Fell and Found' by Small Brown Bike

From Southern Lovin' PR:

To celebrate the release of Small Brown Bike’s new studio album, Fell & Found, No Idea Records has posted a full stream of the new album.

You can listen to the album in it’s entirety over at No Idea Records.

The album was produced by J Robbins and is the band’s first full-length, featuring the four original members since Our Own Wars, released in 1999 by No Idea Records. The band’s last full length, The River Bed, was released in 2003 by Lookout! Records.

Fell & Found features 11 new songs recorded at Million Yen Studios in Chicago, IL. Mike Reed, singer/guitarist, had this to say about the new album: “This record brings together everything we’ve done as a band, but still feels new. We didn’t over think things and just had fun making music again. We’ve written 20 or so songs since we got back together and these are some of our favorites.”

Working with J Robbins was also a big factor in the overall sound of the album. Reed said, “Recording with J was something we’ve always wanted to do. It was such an honor to make it happen. He put in long days and kept the ship running smoothly. It was gratifying to come full circle and still have fun in the studio with your best friends. We owe a lot of that to J.”

Small Brown Bike have also announced a few shows to support the new album. They will be headlining two Midwest shows with support from long time friends, The Casket Lottery who they did a split EP with back in 2002 that was released by Second Nature.
The band is also performing at this year’s Krazy Fest as well as THE FEST 10. Read below for all dates.
Small Brown Bike released material on Second Nature, Smallman and were part of the No Idea Records family. They released several ground breaking albums before leaving the label to release their final swan song for Lookout! Records and ultimately broke up in 2004.

The band reformed with their original line up in 2009. They have played select shows since and have released two 7”s of new material entitled Composite Vol. 1 and Composite Vol. 2. that came out on No Idea Records.

Check out Small Brown Bike on their upcoming dates:
Friday, May 13 – Kalamazoo, MI at The Strutt w/ The Casket Lottery, Minutes.
Saturday, May 14 – Chicago, IL at Subterranean w/ The Casket Lottery, Cheap Girls.
Friday, May 20 – Louisville, KY at KRAZY FEST 2011 w/ Against Me!, By The Grace of God, Chamberlain, Bane, The Bled, Strike Anywhere, and many more.
Oct 28-30th – Gainesville, FL at THE FEST 10 w/ Hot Water Music, Against Me!, Less Than Jake, Samiam, Lifetime, Bouncing Souls, Dillinger Four, and many more.

'Live at Generation Records' by The Bouncing Souls

By Justin Schwier
Rating: 3/5
Independent Label Collective
4/16/2011

I must admit that this was an impulse buy and didn’t realize it was an acoustic live album, so shame on me for not doing my research. This was recorded on 2010’s Record Store Day at Generation Records in New York. The recording captures the whimsical prevalence in the earlier days of the band, struggling with the 'serious artists' that they are today; and I’m not saying that in bad way, they’ve clearly matured from the days of "I Like Your Mom." Lead singer Greg Antonito is his typical goofy self throughout and it’s great to hear him really soar on “Gasoline” from their latest album, Ghosts on the Boardwalk. For the most part, the only songs he really sounds confident on are the more recent ones, which were clearly written for the acoustic setting that the band's been gravitating toward for the past few years. They stick to earlier material through most of their set (five of the 11 songs come from their first two albums) and throw in a charming ukulele’d cover of Sick Of It All’s “Good Lookin’ Out.” They close their set out with the classic song, “Night on Earth” from Hopeless Romantic.
They totally skipped over four entire albums, so I’d have liked to see a more balanced set, or have heard them a little more rehearsed, but this is a novelty release, so you have to take it with a grain of salt. This isn’t a total waste. It’s certainly not a perfect record, but the high points will inspire repeat spins and actually made me appreciate a few of the newer songs that even make me curious to pull out a few of the last albums and give them another chance, which is probably about the nicest thing I could write.

Track Listing:
1. Quik Chek Girl
2. Lamar Vannoy
3. Here We Go
4. Ghosts On The Boardwalk
5. I Like Your Mom
6. The Freaks, The Nerds, and The Romantics
7. Joe Lies (When He Cries)
8. Big Eyes
9. Gasoline
10. Good Lookin' Out [Sick Of It All cover]
11. Night On Earth

Pressing info: 1,500 copies.

Top Albums, EPs, 7''s, Splits and Demos of 2011

First up is Top 20 full-lengths followed by Top 20 EPs/7''s/collections/demos and finally, Top 8 split 7''s. By each band name and release is a link to the label to which it was released, followed by a brief writeup, a link to a review (if it was reviewed), the album art, and then streaming music from the release. A lot of great releases came out this year. I hope you enjoy, and find at least something new. What were your favorite releases this year?

Top 20 Full-Lengths of 2011

By Jason Duarte

1. Tenement - Napalm Dream (Mandible)

Tenement is a band I saw a couple years ago, but paid no attention to, as I had never heard of them at the time. When Napalm Dream was released this year, I recognized the band and gave it a listen, which turned into giving it a shit ton of listens. This album channels garage, punk, indie and rock music and weaves it all into a beautiful sonic tapestry. This is the best album I've heard all year. Check out our review of Napalm Dream here.

TOP TRACKS: "Stupid Werld," "Spit In the Wind" and "Running Into Mirrors."

2. Samiam - Trips (Hopeless)

Samiam has an impressive back catalog, but since 2000's Astray, nothing has grabbed me the same (I know there isn't a lot since 2000). I picked up a copy of Trips at Reggie's without having heard it prior, and I am so happy I did, because it saved me from shipping charges. This album is Samiam at its best - the songwriting is top-notch, very well thought out and you can tell the band really took its time to write this one. Recorded at Green Day's Jingletown Studios, this album is great from start to finish, and the recording quality is incredible. Check out our blurbs about Samiam here.

TOP TRACKS: "80 West," "September" and "Happy For You."

3. Banner Pilot - Heart Beats Pacific (Fat Wreck)

This year, Banner Pilot released its new album - it's third Fat Wreck release (including the remastered re-issue of Resignation Day). Nate Gangelhoff's pronounced bass lines and songs are tighter than ever, the songs are personal and the sound holds true to the band's previous releases. This is also the perfect album to listen to in winter. Check out our blurbs about Banner Pilot here.

TOP TRACKS: "Forty Degrees," "Eraser" and "Intervention."

4. Black Wine - Summer of Indifference (Don Giovanni)

This year, Black Wine kicked all our ears' asses with an album titled, Summer of Indifference. I was in love with their first album and thought, "eh, they probably can't top it." What happened with that scenario was the complete opposite. This album is awesome. It's more held together by the members. They've tightened up. They've honed in on the sound they're going for, and they executed it wonderfully. The album art is nice and simple and just cool. I was lucky enough to catch two of their shows in Illinois this summer, and book one/house them for one. A great album by some great people.

TOP TRACKS: "End of Days," "Spit To See the Shame" and "Ocean's Skin."

5. House Boat - The Thorns of Life (Traffic Street/Kiss of Death?)

Fucking finally got my physical copy of this shit! House Boat released its second full-length, which turned out awesome. I was all "meh" about the Processing Complaints 7'' (but really dug it), but this full-length blew me away. As always, it could use more Mikey Erg! and Ace (of bass) vocals (screw you, Zack (just kidding)), but hey - you know what, it's like the Steinways never died, and I'm OK with that. In fact, it's like The Steinways evolved. This album kicks ass, and as of Christmas day, I wasn't sure if this thing was ever going to see a physical release, being I ordered it on July 31. Also, I was promised a poster and a pin when I ordered this, and didn't receive either - did anyone get those items, cause I'd feel a lot better if everyone didn't get them. I'm writing a letter, damn it!

TOP TRACKS: "Now We Are 31," "Real Life As a Metaphor For Real Life" and "A Song In Which I Convince Myself To Stop Being Such a Fucking Idiot."

6. Night Birds - The Other Side of Darkness (Grave Mistake)

"What the fuck, another east coast band on your top whatever list," you say? "Yes." Night Birds is awesome - no one can argue with that (they can try). After releasing a bunch of 7''s and EPs and shit over the last few years, they finally released a much-anticipated full-length. Before this, we had to hold ourselves over two or four songs at a time. The band re-recorded two songs from their demo CD-R, "I Can't Get Clean" and "Paranoid Times." There's also a song about the movie They Live called "Hofmann Lens." It rules and so does all 22 minutes of this record. Check out our full review of The Other Side of Darkness here, and other reviews of their stuffhere.

TOP TRACKS: "Born of Man and Woman," "Demon Haunted World" and "Hofmann Lens."

7. Sundials - Never Settle (Toxic Pop)

Sundials was another new band to my ears this year. A great indie/punk band from Richmond, Virginia, Sundials sings from the heart and captivates its listeners. Much recommended. Check out our review of Never Settle here, and our interview with the band from earlier this yearhere.

TOP TRACKS: "Take You In My Coffee," "Either Way" and "Probably Not."

8. The Copyrights - North Sentinel Island (Red Scare/It's Alive)

The Copyrights are one of my favorite bands, and it used to be they'd release a full-length every year. But it's been three years since Learn the Hard Way's release. The band took its time on this one, and recorded it at Atlas Studios in Chicago with Matt Allison. They went all out and added keyboards and a couple other things they haven't introduced to us yet. I love this album, and the band's Crutches 7'' is a great accompanying release. Check out our interview with Luke McNeill (drums) from earlier this year here.

TOP TRACKS: "Bow Down," "20 Feet Tall" and "Never Move Your Back Row."

9. Deep Sleep - Turn Me Off (Grave Mistake)

Deep Sleep is one of the only current hardcore bands I listen to, as I'm not much a fan of modern hardcore, but this band gets it. It's not just screaming and yelling and blind agression; there's a point to the songs, and that's key. Like Night Birds, Deep Sleep has released a handful of 7''s and a collection album before releasing a proper full-length. All 13 minutes of this album is filled with intense, urgent and great hardcore. Check out our review of Three Things At Once here.

TOP TRACKS: "Slow Down," "Be With You" and "Head Spins."

10. Noise By Numbers - Over Leavitt (Jump Start)

Noise By Numbers released one of my favorite albums a couple years ago and now they've released another one, along the same vein of heartfelt, geocentric songs by beloved Chicago punk musicians. I am a huge fan of this album, though I'm not sure it tops Yeah...Whatever. Check out our review of Over Leavitt here, and one I did for Jaded In Chicago here.

TOP TRACKS: "Lost My Way," "I Don't Think So" and "Over Leavitt."

11. Lemuria - Pebble (Bridge 9)

Lemuria is an awesome indie/pop/punk band from Buffalo, NY. Sheena Ozzella (guitar) has a higher, vulnerable voice and she switches lead vocals with Alex Kerns (drums), who has a lower, more monotoned voice. They compliment each other wonderfully and the catchy tunes on this album will resonate with you for a long time. I've been playing this with the band's entire back catalog for weeks. Their most recent DIY space show in Chicago was incredible and I can't wait to see them again.

TOP TRACKS: "Chautauqua County," "Pleaser" and "The One."

12. Underground Railroad To Candyland - Knows Your Sins (Recess)

Underground Railroad To Candyland is one of the most fun bands to see live. I was lucky to catch them at Schuba's this year with Screaming Females and Treasure Fleet (though it took me three hours to get there). I can't say enough good things about URTC. Check out our review of Knows Your Sins here, and at the Elgin Courier-News here.

TOP TRACKS: "We Aren't the World," "And You Think You Can Tame Me" and "Stop Cryin' Kid."

Stream Knows Your Sins here.

13. Spraynard - Funtitled (Asian Man)

Spraynard is a great young band from Pennsylvania. Its posi-punk, anthemic songs are nicely-layered, especially for a three-piece. I was fortunate enough to catch them twice in San Francisco this year as part of the AMR 15-year anniversary festival, and see their raw talent and emotion come through with the songs. Spraynard is a great contrast to a lot of the more negative or otherwise nihilistic punk rock songs out there. Check out our review of this year's Broadways reunion show featuring Spraynard here.

TOP TRACKS: "The Denver Broncos vs. The Denver Broncos," "Homies Where the Heart Is" and "Quite Exciting, This Computer Magic."

Download and donate here.

14. Kepi Ghoulie - I Bleed Rock 'N' Roll (Asian Man)
KEPI!! What a pleasant surprise this album was. Kepi keeps it Kepi-esque while switching it up a little bit, introducing more rock 'n' roll riffage and energy. The dude is a machine. I love this album, and wrote some reviews for it. Check it out, and give this one a listen - one of Asian Man's best releases this year!
Check out our review of I Bleed Rock 'N' Roll here, and over at Jaded In Chicago.

TOP TRACKS: "The Fever," "Nikki Lee" and "I Bleed Rock 'N' Roll."

Stream I Bleed Rock 'N' Roll here.

15. The Dead Milkmen - The King In Yellow (Self-released)
It's been too long since the Dead Milkmen released a proper full-length, and holy crap! We have a new one! The band put it out themselves, and are selling CDs and digital versions of the songs on its website. The songs are funny, satirical, serious and cynical. They don't skimp out either with 17 new songs on this one.

TOP TRACKS: "Meaningless Upbeat Happy Song," "Passport To Depravity" and "Or Maybe It Is."

Preview the album here.

16. Brick Mower - Under the Sink (Viking On Campus/Stumparumper)
Brick Mower is a three-piece from NJ, heavily influenced by grunge and punk. I was lucky enough to meet these guys (and girl) this summer while they were on tour with Black Wine (NJ). The bands stayed at my house in Elgin and played the Gasthaus, and then Chicago the next day. Those two days were absolutely packed with fun, and I'm happy to have been introduced to these guys. Their music is straightforward and raw. This album gets better the more you listen to it.

TOP TRACKS: "Tuxedo Bitch," "Slow Too Fast" and "Weaving."

17. The Gateway District - Perfect's Gonna Fail (It's Alive)
Minnepolis's Gateway District is a fun band. Their first album, Some Days You Get the Thunder was amazing, and this follow-up album carries the rock. This album is upbeat and fun and one of my favorite It's Alive releases of the year.

TOP TRACKS: "Leaving Me Behind," "Waiting For the Sirens" and "I'll Take the River."

18. Dan Andriano In the Emergency Room - Hurricane Season (Asian Man)
One of my all-time favorite songwriters. Dan Andriano gushes with honesty and raw emotion. This record starts off pretty melancholy but by the end, the sun's out. Check out our blurb about Dan here.

TOP TRACKS: "Let Me In," "It's Gonna Rain All Day" and "Me and Denver."

Check out a track-by-track article on the album here.

19. Face To Face - Laugh Now, Laugh Later (Antagonist)

Face To Face was one of my first favorite punk bands in high school, and this is their first new album since 2002's How To Ruin Everything. Seeing them with Strung Out this year was amazing, as it was my first time. This album is upbeat, and just as awesome as anything else they've done (OK, not anything, but still...for 9 years of breakage, this album rules). The bass line on "What You Came For" is the best part of the entire album. Check out our blurb aboutLaugh Now, Laugh Later here.

TOP TRACKS: "What You Came For," "It's Not All About You" and "Should Anything Go Wrong."

Stream here.

20. Smoking Popes - This Is Only a Test (Asian Man)

One of my all-time favorite bands are The Popes. This Is Only a Test is the band's first new album since Stay Down was released in 2008. This album is great - as it is a concept album told from the perspective from a high school-aged male. Interesting and intriguing, but I felt it pigeonholed itself (just a little bit). This is a great record, and I look forward to the next Popes album.

TOP TRACKS: "Wish We Were," "Freakin' Out" and "Letter To Emily."

Stream the album here.

Top 7''s/Collections/EPs/Demos of 2011

1. Tenement - Blind Wink LP (Cowabunga (LP)/Dead Broke (cassette))

Formerly released exclusively to cassette, I was happy this gem found a proper vinyl release. I know it's heavily Tenement, but they've been the band of the year over here. This collection of demos and other tracks is a great deviation from Napalm Dream. So much so that it quickly climbed to the top of my list.

TOP TRACKS: "Lost Love Star Lust," "Hey Soozie" and "(Messy Endings) In Middle America."

2. Iron Chic - Split N' Shit EP (All In Vinyl/Yo-Yo)

Not Like This was my favorite album last year. The split they did with Pacer, plus the Bikini Kill cover and European tour song are all packaged into one on this digital EP, which is nothing short of amazing. I can't wait till the second full-length release this year.

TOP TRACK: "Climate Is What We Expect, Weather Is What We Get."

3. Tenement - Taking Everything 7'' (Toxic Pop)

The Taking Everything 7'' is an amazing follow-up to Napalm Dream. One catchy, hook-laded electric song, a slow one and another catchy slower one are on here with a bonus track called "Jesse's Poem." Check out our review of the Taking Everything 7'' here.

TOP TRACK: "Taking Everything."

4. Chixdiggit! - Safeways Here We Come LP (Fat Wreck)

Chixdiggit! is back with its first release since 2005's Pink Razors. This 12'' EP is seven songs long and just as tight and funny and amazing as their past stuff. The first song's about Miso Ramen (or is it?), and then KJ Jansen wrote some songs about hating on his friend's dog, stupid hairstyles, his disgust for basketball and so on. This release is awesome.

TOP TRACKS: "I Hate Basketball," "Swedish Rat" and "I Hope Things Will Turn Around."

Stream the EP here.

5. The Steinways - Promise It'll Never Happen Again LP (It's Alive)

This is one of the best pop punk bands ever. This LP is a collection of various 7''s the band released over the years (Rocket Surgery, the It's Alive Wedding split, the Peabodys split and more). There's a lot of great pop punk on this album. Makes me wish The Steinways were still a band. Check out our review of Gorilla Marketing here.

TOP TRACKS: "Always? Never!," "Headache-Girlfriend=Zero" and "I Shit (You Not)."

6. The Measure [sa] - My Heart and the Real World: Another Collection of Standard Waits and Measurements (No Idea)

The Measure [sa] broke up this year, playing its last show at Fest 10 in Gainesville, FL. The last few shows they've played, they were giving away a 7'' called Jersey's Best, and I was kind of disappointed those songs didn't make it on this collection LP. BUT, a whole bunch of the band's 7''s made it on here including its splits with The Ergs!, the Art of the Underground 7'' and many others. For someone like myself who hasn't tracked down and rounded out his Measure [sa] collection, this is perfect. Pre-orders from No Idea also came with a bonus 7'' with a song that also isn't on the collection (argh!) and some live songs from Fest 9. Awesome! I wish I had them digitized!

TOP TRACKS: "We've Upped Our Standards, Now Up Yours," "Remember the Devillock" and "Workage."

7. Night Birds - Fresh Kills, Vol. 1 (Grave Mistake)

Pre-dating The Other Side of Darkness came this release, a collection of the band's 7''s and EPs. It has everything TOSOD doesn't, and it's amazing. If you don't have all the other releases, I'd recommend picking this up.

8. Night Birds - Midnight Movies 7'' (No Way)

Night Birds released a collection CD this year, titled Fresh Kills, Vol. 1, which features theMidnight Movies songs, but before that came this 7''. Four fast, sick songs in 6 minutes. The artwork, by Mike Diana, is arguably the best part of this release. Research him if you're not familiar. Check out our review of the 7'' here.

TOP TRACK: "Midnight Movies."

9. Mikey Erg! - Heart-Shaped 12'' (Paper + Plastick)

Mikey Erg! is arguably the coolest dude ever. We got to hang a bunch in San Francisco this summer and around the country in some other parts this past year (NJ, Chicago, etc.). He's one of my favorite songwriters and can do no wrong by me. On Valentine's Day this year, Paper + Plastick released three colors (I have all of them!) of a two-song heart-shaped 12''. Both are catchy as fuck, and will resonate in your head for months (at least). Read some Mikey Erg!blurbage!

TOP TRACK: "Little Hands of Concrete."

10. Teenage Bottlerocket - Mutilate Me 7'' (Fat Wreck)

Teenage Bottlerocket made my number 1 album of 2009 list, and now they've followed up with this 7'' titled, Mutilate Me. It's just enough to hold me over until new TBR songs come out. Word is, they're writing/recording for a new full-length. The two originals on this 7'' are amazing and they do a great cover of Bad Religion's "Henchmen" at the end. Check out our review of Mutilate Me here.

TOP TRACK: "Mutilate Me."

Stream here.

11. RVIVR - The Joester Sessions LP (Rumbletowne)

RVIVR is a band I got into post-Latterman and post-Shorebirds. I like them a lot more. They're proactive, gritty, bold and aren't afraid to speak their minds and shatter the status quo. This collection LP features the songs off the Life Moves 7'', the Dirty Water 12'' and the Derailer 7'', with a bonus song titled, "Elizabethan Collar." This is one is a fun one.

TOP TRACKS: "Seethin'," "Life Moves" and "Tallest Tree."

12. The Old Wives - Backed In a Corner EP (When's Lunch)

The Old Wives are in my top two favorite bands from Canada (Chixdiggit! is the other one). They are an amazing pop punk band and on this new EP, bassist Ryan Dix takes over on lead vocals for a couple of tracks. It's an awesome change-up, as his vocals compliment Liam's very nicely. He's a lot more smoother, a little higher and poppier and Liam's are a bit grittier and lower. I highly recommend this band, and their full length kicks ass.

TOP TRACKS: "Backed In a Corner," "Heroes" and "Dix 1N1."

Stream the EP here.

13. Worriers - Past Lives 7'' (No Idea)

So The Measure [sa]'s last show was at Fest 10 in October, and from the ashes, Lauren Measure, MIke Hunchback and two other dudes formed this band. It sounds very Measure-esque. The intros to the songs are all pretty similar; individual notes being plucked from chords, but the songs are great. Being I'm such a huge fan of The Measure [sa], I'm happy to hear Lauren's still making music. Check out our blurb on Worriers here.

TOP TRACK: "Past Lives."

14. Chris Wollard and Addison Burns - Lil' Bitta 7'' (No Idea)

Chris Wollard is one of my favorite songwriters, and since Hot Water Music's hiatus, he's been dabbling in his own solo material. He released a split with Mike Hale, Drag the River and a couple other 7''s before this one, where he teamed up with Addison Burns. This 7'' features four original tracks and is great folky, mellow tunes in the vein of Rumbleseat and The Draft. Can't wait till his next release.

TOP TRACK: "Lil' Bitta."

Listen to/watch songs from Lil' Bitta here.

15. The Bomb - The Challenger 11'' (No Idea)

The Bomb features Jeff Pezzati of Naked Raygun on vocals, Pete and Mike S. from The Methadones on bass and drums and Jeff Dean on guitar. You might call The Bomb a Chicago punk supergroup, and really, that's what they are. This 11'' from No Idea features four new ones and four live ones from the first two albums. A real treat.

TOP TRACKS: "Man...Atlanta," "Hey World" and "A Song For the Helenas (Alternate Take)."

Check it out here.

16. The Measure [sa] - Jersey's Best 7'' (Don Giovanni)

I missed their last two shows in NY and the Fest 10 final show, so I wasn't able to pick this 7'' up in person, but lucky for me, No Idea had extra copies and I was able to snag one. This is The Measure [sa]'s final recordings (to date), and it's awesome. I feel like The Measure [sa] is a band that improved with time, so they definitely went out on a high note with this one. The song "Jersey's Best" is nothing short of amazing. I love this 7''.

Check out our review of Notes here.

TOP TRACK: "Jersey's Best."

17. Latterman - Our Better Halves 7'' (Self-released)

Latterman did a reunion show not too long ago in New York, and the band pressed up a bunch of these one-sided 7''s featuring a song they recorded in 2007 called "Our Better Halves." It was the last song the band recorded together and it was never released before the band called it quits. This year, it saw the light at the reunion show. It sounds more up Iron Chic's alley to me, or RVIVR, but it's an amazing song. A little pricey for one song, but it's not like new Latterman material is going to be recorded again.

TOP TRACK (heh): "Our Better Halves."

Listen here.

18. RVIVR - Belebend 7'' (Yo-Yo)

RVIVR released this European-label-only 7'', which I hadn't heard of till just a few weeks ago. The songs are on YouTube, and the 7'' is available in distros/labels overseas, and it's awesome. I especially love "Wrong Way One Way," which I believe they played the last time they came through Chicago at that basement show. It sounded great, and I'm glad there's a studio version now. If some domestic distros pick this up, I'm going to snatch it.

TOP TRACK: "Wrong Way One Way."

Listen to "Wrong Way One Way" here.

19. Hot Water Music - The Fire, The Steel, The Tread 7'' (No Idea)

Hot Water Music hasn't released any new material since 2004's The New What Next (unless you count that Bouncing Souls cover), so this has been a long awaited and much anticipated release for me. They played Milwaukee, WI earlier this year and some friends and I drove up to catch them at this ballroom venue, and they were incredible. This 7'' is great, but not HWM's best stuff. Still, it's nice to hear new tunes, and I can't wait for the release of the 3xLP of the Live in Chicago stuff. I was at both those shows in Feb. 2008 and can't wait to hear how that came out. Hopefully they put out a full length soon.

TOP TRACK: "Up To Nothing."

Stream here.

20. The Copyrights - Crutches 7'' (It's Alive)

The Copyrights released North Sentinel Island via It's Alive and Red Scare, and It's Alive pressed this 7'' to accompany it. It features "Crutches," from the record, a demo version of "Worn Out Passport," also from the record and two demos that didn't make the record. I'm glad The Copyrights went with the songs they did for the full length, but for any fan, this 7'' is an essential and fun release to have.

TOP TRACK: "Current Event (Demo)."

Top Splits of 2011

1. Cheap Girls/Lemuria 7'' (No Idea)

Cheap Girls and Lemuria are two bands I just got into this year, so this split has been getting a lot of play. Lemuria offers two songs to Cheap Girls' one, but all three are solid. The Cheap Girls song may be the best Cheap Girls song I've heard to date, and the Lemuria ones are among my favorites of theirs as well. This one's essential to your collection, and the best split 7'' of 2011.

TOP TRACK: "Lemons (Lemuria)."

2. Spraynard/Sundials 7'' (Evil Weevil)

These bands are friends and teamed up this year to release this split, which is awesome. Both bands were new to me this year, and all their songs have been ear-pleasers. This split is fun, and I've found myself flipping it over and over again.

TOP TRACK: "Snowballs At Cops (Sundials)."

3. Dear Landlord/The Dopamines 7'' (Paper + Plastick)

Finally, new Dear Landlord songs, and they're awesome! Especially "Neighbors." More mentions of trailer parks and shitty living conditions, but it's easy to relate to. Their other one, "A Little Left," is a slower song, which picks up after about 0:45 and rules. The Dopamines' side is great as well, though if it was Dear Landlord vs. Dopamines, Dear Landlord wins (sorry, Dopes, I still love you). The Dopamines' best song on here is "Heads Up Dusters," which is extremely anthemic and will stick to you. This split rules and was worth every penny (though it did take forever for the label to release it, to which they made it available for super cheap, which was awesome. I think they're still super affordable, so get one!)

TOP TRACK: "Neighbors (Dear Landlord)."

Stream here.

4. Caves/Sundials 7'' (Kiss of Death)

Sundials made a lot of appearances this year, but they're one of the best bands of the year, and this split with Caves is awesome. I'm not so much a fan of the Caves side, but the Sundials songs here are golden.

TOP TRACK: "Viking Funeral (Sundials)."

5. Tenement/Cülo 7'' (Cowabunga)

At the very end of the year, Tenement squeezed in one more awesome release; a split with Chicago hardcore band, Cülo. Tenement's songs are a little more upbeat and fast on this one - not necessarily to match the hardcore on the opposite side, but in general. The Cülo side features five fast songs.

TOP TRACK: "Your Life Or Mine (Tenement)."

6. Mean Jeans/Hollywood 7'' (Big Neck)

I'm a huge Mean Jeans fan, so when I saw there were a limited number of these being pressed, I had to grab one. The Hollywood side is pretty good, but the Mean Jeans song is awesome. I hope they release another full length this year.

TOP TRACK: "(Let's Go Before I Blow My) Brains Out (Mean Jeans)."

7. Marvin Berry & the New Sound/Nude Beach 7'' (Freedom School)

Dammit, I can't find art for this 7'' anywhere. Not even the label has a picture of it on its site. I wish I had a scanner. But I don't. Handy. Anyway, Marvin Berry covers a song and plays an original. The Nude Beach side is great too. Oh hey, stream the split here.

TOP TRACK: "Howlin' At the Highway (Marvin Berry & the New Sound)."

8. Rise Against/Face To Face 7'' (Folsom)

Two of my favorite bands, back when Rise Against was local and hardcore, and Face To Face was...well, active. This 7'' is just fun. Rise Against covers one of my favorite Face To Face songs and while I'm not all that fond of the song Face To Face chose to cover, I think their spin on it is cool.

TOP TRACK: "Blind (Rise Against)."

Preview the split here.