Thinking Back On Insubordination Fest: The Pre-Show

It's been a couple months now since the the most recent biggest annual pop punk fest of the 21st century, Insubordination Fest. I never really wrote anything about it because I put all my time into issue two and getting permission to use those songs for the comp. and all that. So it's really been bugging me. Anyway, I think a really really late and overdue review is in order before I forget altogether.

I don't necessarily remember the schedule and the lineup and who played on what day and stuff, but I remember the gist of it. But in sequential order - first the pre-show. I remember it being a hell of a hot day outside and walking several miles from our hotel to the venue. When we got there, it was hot in there too and everything drinkable seemed too expensive. Pat Termite kicks ass because he hooked us up on admission for the weekend so Pat, if you're reading, thank you.
I remember particularly enjoying Deep Sleep, an amazing hardcore band out of Baltimore. I got wood for that band after seeing them play Reggie's in Chicago with Psyched To Die and Dillinger Four. They were a great band - old school hardcore with short and intense songs. Definitely more fun than a lot of other hardcore bands which I think just take themselves way too seriously.

DEEP SLEEP


Short Attention was pretty cool - I've longed to see The Steinways, The Unlovables and all those east coast pop punk band I love and have never got the chance to see in Chicago. Short Attention though was different. I thought they were funny but I ended up actually being pretty annoyed mostly by the girl in the band, who didn't even play an instrument. Unless talking incessantly is an instrument. Then Teenage Bottlerocket played last and they played some new songs, which I fell in love with. One of them being "Skate or Die," the first track off their new album, "They Came From The Shadows" due out September 15.
That CD is going to own. Anyways, the pre-show was awesome. I remember Festipals was cool, but having never heard of them, I remember being puzzled as to why they were so high up on the bill.
The Max Levine Ensemble impressed me as well. They were a trio of aggressive songs but also poppy, catchy songs, if memory serves me correctly...I remember it looked like they conveyed elements of frustration and anger as the lead singer would quickly shake his head back and forth as he played his guitar. I dunno how he managed to sing like that, but it was pretty awesome - they showed a real energy up there and it was awesome. They did a song with Delay (who were also good to see) and Delay finished their set with a cover of Argent's "God Gave Rock and Roll To You" (later covered by KISS). Playing that turned it into an all-out fucking rock show. Chicks appeared from nowhere with KISS face paint on - random people (as far as I know) came on stage to play guitar and the crowd seemed to be digging it as well. It changed the air in that place from heavy "typical semi-awkward punk show" to a "pretty relaxed show with a whole variety of shit so don't be extra awkward if you see something completely different."

Stuff that sucked: It was hot. I also wasn't too impressed with The Loblaws. I know they are a little different than the other pop punk bands out there but their songs didn't wow me at all and I didn't like the way any of their music sounded either. All the other bands I remember thinking, "meh, they're OK" about. But it was really good to see Delay, Max Levine Ensemble, Short Attention (kind of), Deep Sleep and Teenage Bottlerocket. John Walsh was pretty cool too. They were actually the most entertaining of bands at the pre-show. Never before have I witnessed a high-five pit or a hug pit before seeing these dudes. I saw them in Chicago once before, but yeah - pretty funny stuff. And they have Jon Weiner of The Dopamines in them, which is kinda cool if you like The Dopamines.

Deep Sleep - "Three Things At Once" review

The first time I heard of Deep Sleep was when I saw them play at Reggie's in March with Psyched To Die and Dillinger Four. Like most people, I automatically hold all opening bands I've never heard or heard of to a higher standard because of that thing in the back of your mind that says, "You'd better be good cause I'm standing around here waiting to see ____."
Not that I'd boo 'em even if they were bad. But after their set, I was a fan.
Their energy combined with the speed and length (or lack thereof) of their songs were catchy, but rather than being "pop punk catchy," they had just the perfect amount of a hardcore touch.
I thought "Three Things At Once" was going to be about being born with three schlongs. Instead, it's a collection of three 7 inches. Heh. Heh heh heh.
So uh...this 21-incher rocks. There's also 21 songs. One inch a track? Anyway, the 21 tunes on here equal out to be 25 minutes and 6 seconds total, so that gives you an idea of the length of this CD.
The music itself was reminiscent of the Decendents actually, but faster and harder-edged.
I don't want a bunch of Descendents fans e-mailing me saying how they are nothing like the Descendents, I'm just saying they remind me of a fast Descendents with a twist of hardcore.
The lead singer was a great part of why I thought the band ruled because of how he would stand one foot on the monitors and lean into/above the crowd with the microphone and sing and jump around. His activity and passion about the music made it a lot of fun to not only watch, but listen to.
It sucks watching what's supposed to be a hardcore band or a punk band just stand there and do nothing and act like they're better than everything/everyone. Well, fuck that shit. Unless you're landlocked to a drum kit or a microphone while playing guitar, I think there's no reason why guitar players/singers (just singers) shouldn't move around and get shit a little bit exciting.
OK, OK, if you have a physical retardation, I'll accept that too.
Check out Deep Sleep on Grave Mistake Records and on MySpace. They'll be playing the Insubordination Fest pre-show this year too with Teenage Bottlerocket, so be sure to catch them then!

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.

'Fresh Kills Vol. 1' by Night Birds

By Jason Duarte
Grave Mistake Records
April 5, 2011
Rating: 5/5

After releasing the Midnight Movies 7'', Night Birds released a collection of everything they've recorded to date; the 2009 demo, the Art of the Underground 7'', the S/T 7'' and the Midnight Movies 7'', and called it Fresh Kills Vol. 1. This gem's only available on CD, but it's enough to hold me over until the band's first proper full length, The Other Side of Darkness. I saw them a couple weeks back at the Lucky Gator Loft in Chicago with Canadian Rifle and they played a few new ones.
The album starts with "Killer Waves," off their AOTU 7'', which is one of my favorites. It's a fast, intense and urgent song about the apocalypse coming in the form of (can you guess?) worldwide killer tsunamis. It's sometimes a lovely daydream, but then something happens like in Japan that makes you think twice about how much you actually romanticize the idea of near-human extinction. Nevertheless, I get it. Night Birds isn't hating on anyone, but the band's music is rooted in a sort of fantasy/escapist mentality.
Take for example "Thrilling Murder." Lead singer Brian Gorsenger sings about waiting in line at the grocery store when some asshole with a full cart cuts him off, wasting his entire afternoon. It's nice that Gorsenger didn't actually stab him in the neck, but the song's a great release for what happened that afternoon. I always hate it when I'm cut off, and for a brief second, I go to the extreme and think something like, "If I had a knife, I'd cut your dog's throat, then slice it from sternum to abdomen and hang him outside your front door right after you go to sleep." Never would I actually do such a thing to a cute, innocent pooch, but nevertheless, we all have those impulses and tendencies (if you don't admit it, you're in denial).
I highly suggest everyone who's a fan of The Ergs!, Deep Sleep, Psyched To Die, Hunchback, the Misfits, Dead Kennedys, any skate punk and/or any hardcore check out the Night Birds, because briefly and bluntly, they rule.

Fresh Kills, Vol. 1 track listing:
1. Killer Waves
2. Midnight Movies
3. No Way Home
4. Bad Biology
5. Triple Feature
6. Prognosis: Negative
7. Thrilling Murder
8. Unanswerable
9. The Gift Givers
10. Harbor Rats
11. Send Me Home
12. Living In the Middle
13. Can't Get Clean
14. Paranoid Times
15. Squad Car

Check out Fresh Kill, Vol. 1 here. Check out "Landfill Land" off their upcoming release, The Other Side of Darkness, out August 16 on Grave Mistake Records. Fresh Kills, Vol. 1 as well as the band's previous releases can also be found on Grave Mistake's web site.