Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Dude Radio.




Hey guys, if you know me, you probably know I have a "selective" or "forgetful," sometimes "dumbass" taste in music. Most of the time that was attributed to me not knowing how to work my iPod, getting booted from every torrent site, forgetting my favorite bands, or completely bullshitting people for cred. Anyway, I finally jumped on pandora radio and made a station that I think totally rules.

Get Wiggly.

BTOWN.

comics i read in 2008

this list is probably incomplete, but as far as i can tell, this is the list of trade paperbacks, single issues, mini's, one offs, graphic novels, etc that i read this year. not everything on this list was read for the first time this year, but if it was read this year, it made the list. but like i said, i don't think it's complete, but it's probably close. i read a lot this year.

300
32 stories
acme novelty library 16
acme novelty library 18
acme novelty library 19
aeiou
american elf
american elf 2
american elf 3
batman: year one
batman: dark victory
batman: gotham by gaslight
batman: haunted knight
batman: the dark knight returns
batman: the dark knight strikes again
batman: the long halloween
be a man
black hole
bone
bottomless belly button
box office poison
bprd 1
bprd 2
clutch 1
clutch 2
clutch 3
clutch 4
clutch 5
clutch 6
clutch 7
clutch 8
clutch 16
controller
delayed replays
dogs and water
drawn and quarterly showcase #2
epileptic
feeble attempts
four squares
four women
further grickle
ghost world
goodbye, chunky rice
grickle
hellboy 1
hellboy 2
hellboy 3
hellboy 4
hellboy 5
hellboy 6
hellboy 7
hellboy 8
hellboy: the chapel of moloch
hickee #3
hickee #4
i was a teenage comic nerd
infinity gauntlet
the iron wagon
kingdom come
life in the jugular vein
little things
lone racer
marvels
maus 1
maus 2
the maxx 1
the maxx 2
the maxx 3
the maxx 4
the maxx 5
the maxx 6
midnight sun
mosquito
the mourning star
mustaches: a 24 hour comic
my brain hurts
narcoleptic sunday
nothing nice to say
the octopi and the ocean
penny arcade: attack of the bacon robots!
penny arcade: epic legends of the magic sword kings
penny arcade: the warsun prophecies
penny arcade: birds are weird
penny arcade: the case of the mummy's gold
preacher 1
preacher 2
preacher 3
preacher 4
promethea 1
promethea 2
promethea 3
promethea 4
promethea 5
queen and country definitive edition 1
queen and country definitive edition 2
queen and country definitive edition 3
RASL #1
RASL #2
RASL #3
red eye, black eye
same difference
the sandman 1
the sandman 2
the sandman 3
the sandman 4
the sandman 5
the sandman 6
the sandman 7
the sandman 8
the sandman 9
the sandman 10
scott pilgrim 1
scott pilgrim 2
scott pilgrim 3
scott pilgrim 4
scott pilgrim: full color odds and ends
sin city 1
smack dab
spaghetti western
spiral bound
stickleback
tales from the farm
talk nerdy to me
things are meaningless
three shadows
top ten 1
top ten 2
tricked
van helsing's night off
walking dead 1
watchmen
whiteout 1
whiteout 2
wormwood
yearbook stories
you can't get there from here


- love, detroit

Friday, December 19, 2008

detroit's 2008 year in review list

Not really in any particular order...

TORCHE - "Meanderthal" - the most bone crushing pop record you will ever hear. some of the riffs these guys write are so simple and elegantly brutal, it's amazing that no one has ever written them before. these guys will have you nodding your head for hours after you've listened to the record.

METALLICA - "Death Magnetic" - no fucking around. i was skeptical as everyone else when this came out. i heard the early clips, i thought they sucked, etc. after putting this record on my jaw dropped and my head started rocking out something fierce. sure, the record is not without it's faults, it's way too long, there's a few tracks that are pretty meh, but after 20 years of bullshit, this is the record that metallica fans deserve.

BLACKLISTED - "Heavier than heaven, lonlier than god." - these guys have always been pretty straight forward judge influenced hardcore. but with this record they really brought it to another level. diverse, heavy, dark, aggressive, intense. 11 songs and 20 minutes later, i was left desperately wanting more.

JOAN OF ARC - "Boo Human" - this record is breathtaking. taking a break from the balanced annoying unlistenable meanderings and brilliant math inspired jangles, these guys opted for a more subtle collective approach to making this record. acoustics are abound, crafting actually well written songs that deserve more than one listen. super angry and depresed lyrics, this is one for the record books.

LEMURIA - "Get Better" - sure, girl involved pop punk/rock has been around forever. stylistically, there's nothing unique about this band. quality-wise there is. the songs are beyond catchy, they're more diversely crafted than your standard pop punk outfit, straight forward lyrics that don't feel cliche, just feel genuine.

SUN KIL MOON - "April" - mark kozelzelekzek understands something the rest of us don't. i can't put my finger on it, but if you listen to "april" enough times i think eventually you could begin to understand it too. this man is a master of songcraft.

MAPS & ATLASES - "You and me and the mountain" - moving away(very slightly) from the spastic explosions of their previous work, this band wrangles in their finger tapping just enough so you can actually hear how many notes they're playing now. and just like almost everyone else on this list, songwriting is key. i find myself singing these songs to myself for days.

SIGUR ROS - "blahdy blah blabbity blah blah blah" - the first few times i listened to this record, i did NOT like it. after a few more, it started to grow on me, and shortly after that, i couldn't stop thinking about it. it's different, yeah. but "post rock" doesn't mean you just have to drone on for hours. and now i can appreciate "takk" more as being an appropriate midpoint between "( )" and this record. this one has some of their best tracks ever on it.

THEY AND THE CHILDREN - "Home" - i'm biased b/c these guys are old friends of mine. but this is the best "post hardcore(?)" record i've heard in a long time. it slays. it's heavy. it's fast. it's brutal. it's dense. it's creative. in a world filled with a million hardcore bands that all sound the same, this one stands out.

NARROWS - s/t 7" - duh, it's the dude from botch screaming his head off like a maniac.

YOUNG WIDOWS - "Old Wounds" - this record is amazing for a few reasons. one, it's a kickass record. two, half of it was recorded live at shows, and aside from a spot of crowd noise here or there, you can't even tell. that's how fucking tight this band is.

fuck, i already forgot a bunch of good ones, so i guess i'll just put them in "honorable mentions"

Honorable mentions:
David Byrne & Brian Eno "everything that happens" - david byrne is one of my all time favorite songwriters/musicians/epic people. this record is no exception.
Bonne Prince Billy "lay down in the light" - this record rules.
TV on the Radio - "dear science" - where cookie mountain was boring, this record is not. funky, sexy, groovy.
Mountain Goats - "satanic messiah ep" - i like the mountain goats.
nick cave & the bad seeds - "dig, lazarus, dig!" - nick cave is just a badass. warren ellis makes awesome sounds.
Make Believe - "Goin to the bone church" - angular weird math indie with songs about the vietnam war.
the walkmen - "you and me" - this record is kinda weird and really different, but is totally great.
unearth - "the march" - this is the best metal record of '08, and really deserves to be in the top section, but ya know, i'm lazy.

fuck i just remembered a bunch more... ah, fuck this.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Your 2008 List.


I just want to throw this one out there. I just wasted twenty minutes of my life reading the Pitchfork Guestlist: Best of '08. Needless to say, total bullshit. The same dudes from Vampire Weekend, Fleet Foxes, and MGMT namedrop themselves back and forth while simultaneously talking about Lil' Wayne. Honestly, I don't think I can name ten records that came out this year. I mean, I'll give it to him, Weezy put out a pretty bomb-ass record, but that can't be it. So fuckit, I've got a short list and then everybody go crazy.

1. Xiu Xiu - Women as Lovers
If you don't like Xiu Xiu then, fuck off. Seriously. I've seen these guys twice and they now account for the best show I've ever seen and the second best show I've ever seen. Listen to them get down all Zappa like on this one. Also, if "I Do What I Want, When I Want" doesn't make best song of the year, I'm quitting Pitchfork for good. Serious this time.

2. Earth - The Bees Made Honey in the Lion's Skull
These guys are from Seattle. Just look at that picture, thats the guitarist with four JCM800 half stacks. Also, I just started smoking weed this year.

3. Akimbo - Jersey Shores
Whole lotta fuckyeah. Used to practice next to these guys, but didn't get the full scope until they hammered myself and the audience into submission opening for Big Business. Most legit gear ever.

4. Mars Volta - Bedlam in Goliath
Best since Deloused by far. Some of the heaviest grooves ever.

5. Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream/Machina
I know these didn't come out this year, but they really shaped my entire idea of music. I never got into them when they were out, but suddenly I found these albums of heavy guitars, gnarly production, and entirely awesome songs. Most of you that know me know that I'm always a little behind the curve on new music, and I'm sure I've pounded them into your brains this year as well, so, you know, sorry.


Now bring on the lists.


BTOWN.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Ms. Jackson if you're nasty.

So I was just lurking people who have written my favorite R&B songs and found out that two of the dudes who formed The Time had the early 90's on lock down. Together they wrote a huge chunk of Janet Jackson's "janet." which we all know is a fucking heater of an album, well, at least our Moms know. Here are five, yes, FIVE incredible singles from that album in the order of their release. Fuck.











I excluded "If" and "You Want This" because I was never really feelin' those tracks. Also, I might have only been 6 when it came out, but I wanted to rail Janet Jackson so badly when I first saw the "Any Time, Any Place" video.

- Joaquín

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Free Holiday Comp Download Thing

what up dudes, i'm on this comp, download it.


Happy Holidays to all! I am proud to announce the first annual Solidarity Recordings Holiday Comp/Sampler 2008! Its a (30) track digital download comp/sampler, and the greatest thing is its FREE!! I wanna thank all the great bands that contributed a track. I hope everyone enjoys it, and i hope everyone has a safe and fun holiday season! Enjoy!

Randy,

p.s. For.The.Win. (ex-wardogs) track will be off there debut full length on asian man. this track is rad, hope you enjoy! thanks ftw!


download link:
http://digital.deadformat.net

download code:
jinglebells



Tracklist
1. The Hot Toddies - Santa Baby
2. The Atom Age - One Minute to Midnight
3. Lemuria - Mechanical
4. Anchor Down - El Radio
5. For.The.Win. - Another Day
6. Olehole - Chimps Night Out
7. The Queers - I Can't Stay Mad At You
8. O Pioneers - Dead City Sound
9. Echoes of Harpers Ferry - Endangered Species
10. I-Spy - Appliances and Cars
11. imadethismistake - Clear Skies Beyond Tallahassee
12. Anchor Arms - Cold Blooded
13. Hanalei - One Big Night
14. Slow Fade - A Day In Slow Motion
15. Pteradon -Hey Freddie Mercury
16. Like Claw - Ache (Jawbreaker Cover)
17. The Action Design - Connect/Disconnect
18. Wayne Arms - A Kind of Revolution
19. Mike Park - Crowd (Operation Ivy Cover)
20. Bastards of Young - New Reaction
21. The Ghost - Gem, Mint Ten
22. Ok Pilot - Are You Afraid of the Sting
23. The Honor System - Muffled by Concrete
24. Yeti Hands - Goodnight Firefly
25. Amanda Stahl - Run Away
26. Arms Aloft - Comfort at Any Cost
27. Success! - Trains, Planes, Bicycle Mobiles
28. The Damage Done - Teen Bop Hit Factory
29. Get Dead - Leave a Message
30. Hanalei - Moth to Flame

love, detroit

Cutting your losses, moving on.

The pacific northwest is cold. Not just cold, I mean really-motherfucking-cold. Yeah, you can layer; I'm wearing two hoodies right now and sitting in front of a space heater, but I haven't seen the sun in a week.

I've been having these listening parties with my new roommate Jonah. We sit around and drink and talk about our favorite records. He plays songs by the Doors on my harmonium while I drink whiskey and try and remember if I even like music. I met every member of Botch and These Arms are Snakes last week at a show. Steve Snere gave me some good references for a job at a bar they all work at. But it's still cold and I haven't seen the sun in a week.

The shoegaze band has come to an almost complete stand still, but I still write the songs. Wednesday is my birthday and I have fifty dollars for two weeks because the economy has put my sales job in the shitter. The frustration seems to be growing with fewer outlets, like a river and a dam.

January is just around the corner. The semester is starting at a school I won't be attending. The money changes hands as the memory grows foggier. I almost couldn't remember if Excruciation had ever gone on tour tonight. I think about home.

It's still cold, but January is sure to bring the sun.


BTOWN.

Friday, December 12, 2008

I'm a mess and you're worse.

So last night Jasper and I were standing around in a smokey garage talking about how incredible the new Fall Out Boy record is and how we think Patrick Stump is gonna have a really fruitful career after they break up because he is a BAMF song writer. Then I started dropping knowledge about how he has written for other acts and how sick those songs were. Anyways, here is a young band that homeboy has thrown a hit (or two) at. If you know me, you know how begrudgingly obsessed I have been with this record. If you've been to my house I have definitely made you watch their music videos On Demand. This is honestly probably the most appalling record I have ever heard. I don't know how these dudes came up with these ideas or if most of them were Stump's behind-the-scenes magic or what, but holy shit, I can't believe a record like this even exists. If you are even the least bit curious, check it out. Wow.



Try it
Buy it

P.S. These dudes are straight out of high school. There is a home music video of theirs that I just watched with footage of their graduations. Fuck my life.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

America's Suitehearts

I was kind of reluctant to post this because all of my friends are assholes, but after giving it a couple of listens I can say with confidence that this record is fucking incredible. Patrick Stump is a badass. That dude needs to quit this band and do his own thing 'cause I honestly think he is holding back from releasing a really far out, absurd record. He takes influence from so many genres in these 50 awesome minutes. Ragtime, late 70s Motown, Funk etc etc. I love hearing records that you can tell were made by music lovers. Patrick Stump is definitely that. And with guest spots by Elvis Costello, Lil Wayne and Debbie Harry, this record is at least worth a listen, if anything. Show love.



Try it

- Joaq Joaq

All my veins are tangled up.

Saves The Day hasn't released a bad record, in my opinion. I have loved each one more and more with time. However, over the years, In Reverie has become my favorite. You can really hear the ambition they had writing this record. A lot of people were turned off by it. Even people who actually play and understand music dislike this record (coughFundscough). I guess I can't be too upset about that. It's a pretty big departure from their old stuff. I can definitely see why their fans hate(d) it. Fuck 'em, I think it's incredible. Anyways, get your chunky chord, beautiful falsetto, and weird time signature on and check this album out.



Try it
Buy it

Bonus post!

Here are some b-sides from the album that I recently found. Enjoy!

Saves The Day - In Reverie (Bonus Tracks)

- Joaquín

Wowee Zowee

In case you haven't read the other post about them, Two Tongues are half Saves The Day and half Say Anything. Think of it as a little heavier Saves The Day. Anyways, here's a rip of the new track they put up a couple of minutes ago.. hahaha. Enjoy



Two Tongues - Wowee Zowee
Here's the song I posted earlier, too.
Two Tongues - Crawl

- Joaquín

Jackson 5



i thought some people would appreciate this. R&b was sooooooo good back in the day, what the hell happened?

-Sean

Monday, December 8, 2008

My Stupid Long List of Awesome Albums from Every Year I've Been Alive

This being my first post. Let's talk about music.:)

I was reading Dntel's blog earlier.

http://www.last.fm/music/Dntel/+journal

He recently posted a few of, in his opinion, the top albums released since the year he was born, year by year.
It sounds like a fun venture, so here it goes.

In my opinion, some great albums from each year.

'88-'08

Twenty awesome years.

'88

King's X - Out of the Silent Planet

Debut album by the trio. Delightfully 90's. Wonderfully written songs.
Doug Pinnick's melodies and Ty Tabor's licks mesh well. I honestly can't listen to Goldilox without getting a bit teary-eyed. Take that how you like.

Runner Up:

My Bloody Valentine - Isn't Anything

Amazing guitars in the shoegaze genre. Guitarworkguitarworkguitarwork.


'89

Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble - In Step


Oh man. With awesome tracks like Crossfire, Tightrope, and The House is a Rockin', how can you not love this album? If you play guitar and haven't heard this album, do yourself a favor and listen. Stevie shreds haaaaaaaaaaard.

'90

Extreme - Pornograffitti


The cheesy love song, which I adore btw, aside. This album rocks. Nuno Bettencourt's licks are amazing througout. Especially on tracks like He Man Woman Hater, Get the Funk Out and Money. It's hard for me to believe that all that really came out of this record was More than Words. It has so much more to offer!

'91

Primus - Sailing the Seas of Cheese


While it may not be an extremely memorable album, not even one of my favorites in general, I feel like this one really opened some doors in my head when it came to music. Les Claypool's incredible talent on the bass and eerie vocals make this, as well as all other Primus albums, a great listen. Thank you Tony Hawk's Pro Skater!

'92

Rage Against the Machine - Rage Against the Machine


This record is my favorite Rage album. So many good tracks. Such an edgy, emotional, in your face feel. Good ol' 90's music.

'93

Bjork - Debut


Such an eccentric and beautiful voice. The first time I heard this album, I was just floored but the control she has at all times. Iceland breeds some great musicians.

A quick mention,

Radiohead's debut, and my least favorite of their releases, was out this year. I was five! So crazy.

'94

Jeff Buckley - Grace


Hands down, the best album of '94. Why it is Dntel's runner-up, I'll never understand. Buckley's Grace is beautiful throughout. His insanely intense melodies and lyrics bring back some good old soul and start some great 90's music. Quite possibly my favorite 90's album. Listen to it.

Great releases by Weezer, the Offspring, Aphex Twin, Beck, the Newsboys, Dinosaur Jr., The Toadies, Portishead, the Sea and Cake, and Bush. Damn '94 blessed music.

'95

Elliott Smith - Elliott Smith


Elliott Smith is a great record, as are all of his other releases. This one contains Needle in the Hay, Southern Belle, and the Biggest Lie. All such great tunes. It's awesome to see the influence he has on much of modern folk. The covers of his tunes and tributes paid to him are countless.

'96

Belle and Sebastien - If You're Feeling Sinister


Happy music. An influential nineties band, an awesome record. I'd say listen to this one and The Life Pursuit. Both so good!

'97

Incubus - S.C.I.E.N.C.E.


This band made me love music. S.C.I.E.N.C.E. is jazzy, rocky, funky, spunky, and straight up far out! If you hate Incubus and haven't heard anything before Make Yourself, I'd suggest giving this one a listen. Quite a bit harder than their latter material and definitely a lot jazzier. And jazz is awesome.

Ok Computer was released this year.

'98

Definite tie between:

HUM - Downward is Heavenward


HUM's Downward is Heavenward is the geekiest album ever. It's filled with dropped-D guitars, spacey lyrics and impressiveness. If you like anything about nineties shoegaze or rock, listen to this album from front to back. They were definitely an under-appreciated, magnificent band. MY favorite track is If You Are to Bloom. Just so you know

and

Braid - Frame and Canvas


Braid was definitely one of the most innovative bands in the 90's. Their riffs and tones can be heard in a lot of todays indie music. This record is mist definitely worth having. So get it.

Extremely close runner ups include At the Drive-In, Neutral Milk Hotel, Pedro the Lion, and Thursday.

'99

This year is tough. Such great music.

But I think I might have to go with

Sigur Ros - Agaetis Byrjun


Another Icelandic gem, what's not to love? The whole thing plays like you're dreaming and the "Hopelandic" gibberish that is all of Sigur Ros's lyrics are beautifully written. Staralfur is so simple and so peaceful. Also, my favorite track on the record.

Alright, breaking into the new millennium!
2000

I know a lot of you will probably hate me for this but

Bright Eyes - Fevers and Mirrors


I remember buying this album and hating it. I hadn't ever heard Bright Eyes but a few b-sides before this. But, by the 3rd listen I was astounded. This record is probably Conor's best. There's definitely something to be said about his emo days. I wish he'd write stuff like this now. Check out the Calendar Hung Itself. Whine!

Bright Eyes label mates, Cursive released Domestica that year. Great album as well. Some good stuff from the Appleseed Cast, Faraquet, Glassjaw, and Coldplay too.

'01

Radiohead - Amnesiac


Hot damn!. This record is awesome. I love the feel of it. So creepy. I can't really pick a favorite Radiohead album but considering this is the album I chose (over Ok Computer, mind you) to display as one the best, this is in my top two. If you haven't seen it, check out the vid for Knives Out



Michel Gondry did it and he's a genius. Nuff said!

'02

Glassjaw - Worship and Tribute


Daryl Palumbo is one of my favorite vocalists of all time. Definitely one of the most emotionally driven records of the "screamo" genre. W&T has some killer high energy tunes and even better relaxed songs. I might also mention that the overall production of this album is immaculate. Yes, I said immaculate. Ape Dos Mil, Two Tabs of Mescaline, and Mu Empire are some high points though I wouldn't say any of the songs on the record aren't awesome. Double negative.

Great stuff from Royksopp, Sparta, mewithoutYou, and Kind of Like Spitting this year

'03

Coheed and Cambria - In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3


This album got me through high school. So many good melodies, hooks, riffs, lines, concepts, etc. Rush reincarnate! Well, maybe not since they're still around, but a great record none the less. Progressive rock and high vox. So good.

Also mention Architecture in Helsinki, Bear Vs. Shark, Black Eyes, Cursive!, Damien Rice, Hey Mercedes, House of Heroes, Incubus, Joan of Arc, Menomena, and the Mars Volta. Good music, another great year.

'04

Another tie

Pedro the Lion - Achilles Heel


David Bazan's writing ability floors me. With simple chords he constructs these colossally relevant and touching songs. Every one he writes, he is able to tell a story exactly how it should be told. This whole record is amazing, so I won't name a favorite track. Pick it up for sure.

Chin Up Chin Up - We Should Have Never Lived Like Skyscrapers


Incredible indie album. The guitar work and droney vox really bring back the good ol shoegaze days. In some aspects. Every track on this record is awesome but my favorite is probably Get Me Off this Fucking Island. Good stuff.

and Runner up is definitely DFA1979's You're a Woman, I'm a Machine. That record kills.

'05

Andrew Bird - The Mysterious Production of Eggs


I don't think I can say enough about this record. The whole thing is haunting, especially with the knowledge of how he performs all of these tracks live. It's hard for me to wrap my head around how good these songs are. He knows damn well how to use a DL4 and a fiddle. So good. This one is a must listen.

A lot of other great albums released: Ester Drang, Dangerdoom, Daniel Striped Tiger, Circa Survive, Coco Rosie. Just to name a few.

'06

The Velvet Teen - Cum Laude!


Judah Nagler is also one of my favorite vocalists of all time. I have heard him live and sometimes he's a little off but his melodies and range really make up for things. Cum Laude is one of very few records that I cannot get sick of. The more I play this record, the more I fall in love with it. From start to finish the songs are great. A big change for TVT from Elysium which is also an awesome record. Check out the drums on these tracks. Talk about nuts! I love this album.

'07

Kidcrash - Jokes


Local and spectacular, Kidcrash is definitely one of my favorite bands. Jokes Is phenomenal. The songs are well written, the production is decent, and the vox are sparse. Another record I can't get sick of.

Finally we arrive at 2008.

'08

Once again, a tie.

TV on the Radio - Dear Science


Strangely endearing. I don't really know what to say about this record other than listen to it. The songs are great. It may take a couple of run throughs before it starts to stick. But I'll bet it will. Try Golden Age.

And

The Mars Volta - Bedlam and Goliath


I haven't heard an album with this kind of energy in quite awhile. It's like right when Abernikula kicks in you get punched in the face. But in a good way. The songs can sometimes be unnecessarily long, but i think that's expected with these guys. All in all, I'd say it's something worth your time. Great melodies and music. As always.

Alright, i think that's it. I want to see some other posters' lists.
I'm sure I've missed a ton of great music and I'm hoping you'll let me know. :)
I'm also pretty sure I've made some mistakes, so feel free to correct those.

P.S. I love Radiohead's In Rainbows. I just couldn't bring myself to post another one of their records as my favorites.

Enjoy!

-Adam

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Basically.

If you're too young or too lame to not know or remember this song, I don't want to be your friend.



- Tyrone

Saturday, December 6, 2008

On your mark, get set.

I cannot quite put my finger on but in 2001 or 2002, my friend, Sean, and I caught a ride from Gallup to Albuquerque to see Candiria at the Launchpad with 36 Crazyfists and some other band I cannot remember at this point in time. Although I do remember being really stoked when the tour was first announced as it was the line-up was originally supposed to consist of Candiria, Unearth and Diecast. Three bands I was really stoked on at the time (and still kind of am in Candiria's case as their "unreleased" album was recently released).

Anyways we got there a little there before doors opened because we often got into town too early and did not really have anything to do in our spare time there. I noticed that there were way too many vans present than there were needed to accomodate the touring bands on the bill. After Caustic Lye played, I found out the van belonged to Agents of Man.

I had never heard of them up until that point and was pretty suprised by good they were. Of course I did not appreciate them as much as I do now seeing as how I was a super cool metal/hardcore/whatever guy at the time (and still am), but you know, better late than never, right?

After they played, Sean and I walked over to their merch table where I picked up their CD and the rest is history. I still listen to this EP on a regular basis and when their full-length dropped in 2005, which was really a surprise to me as I did not even know they were putting out a full-length, it was all I listened to on my drives to and back from work in Gallup. I mean, I still listen to it as it is a fucking great record.

Now onto what they sound like. It really is not something you would expect considering the bands from which they came, such as Bulldoze (one of the hardest, if not THE hardest, band[s]) or Elements DEC. They play a mixture of "tough guy" hardcore (?) with poppy elements and siiiick singing, but without being cheesy at all. If singing along and pounding your fist to the hardest pop songs ever sounds like it would be up your alley, check this EP out, although this EP is not as heavy as their full length.

I get a lot of flack for liking this band as much as I do, but whatever. It just sucks knowing that this band could have done so much more in the time they were a band. I do not know if you can buy the EP from the label, but you can get it on Amazon used for $0.49, and that is an awesome deal. So yeah, check it out, you might like it. Haterz be damned.



Try it.
Buy it.


- Tyrone