Album Review :: Brief Lives, Bankrupt, The Slow Death, and Desert Rats With Baseball Bats Comp
Written by: Andrea Janov, CC2K Music Editor
Is alternative hardcore a genre? Because that is what Brief Lives’ Whistleblower EP is. Only two tracks this EP is so visceral that resonates somewhere deep inside your bowels. The first track, Whistleblower is heavy hardcore beats with a dark moody alternative distortion. While No Voice adds an early MC5 / Iggy and the Stooges groove this their already unique sound.
Desert Rats with Baseball Bats :: Squid Hat Records / Camel Hump Studios
Yes yes, we all know that I love comps. And here is another awesome one. This time from the great folks at Squid Hat Records. This 21 track compilation is for fans of old school punk rock. Like straight forward, loud, fast, screamy, raunchy, in your face punk rock. It has a bit of screaming, a bit of chaos, and a ton of attitude. This comp gives one faith in punk rock and the Las Vegas scene. There is some great music out there in the desert.
Most of these track are packed with so much energy that they will have you screaming along and moshing in your car/house/walking down the street, but the two stand out tracks, that you will be listening to on repeat are Burning Agrestic’s No Light No Hope and The Scoundrels’ I Want You Dead. No Light No Hope is a raw track that instantly connects the listener to something real. The music is gritty and fast, there are moments of screaming and moments of melody, and so much fucking heart all packed in under 3 minutes, it is everything I love in a punk rock song. The Scoundrels’ I Want You Dead, on the other hand is polished and perfected. It is a noir swing sound with a great punk rock edge. The music is smooth and the vocals, holy shit, they just belt out through the speakers.
Bankrupt :: Goodbye Blue Monday EP
Bankrupt is a super fun pop punk band from Budapest, Hungary. Their music can claim direct linage from the Ramones. Every track is upbeat and catchy, their vocals are smooth and snotty, and their lyrics address the subjects most slackers are concerned with government paranoia, shitty jobs and bad relationships. Awesome album with tons of attitude that you will be humming for the rest of the day.
The Slow Death :: No Heaven :: Rad Girlfriend Records
The Slow Death’s No Heaven is a great collection of punk rock tracks that walk the line of rock and roll. They are gritty and angry and full of passion. Every track is super energetic and there are several moments of layered vocals that are simply, awesome. My favorite element of No Heaven is the gravely vocals, which as you all know by now, I am a sucker for.