Album Reviews :: braidedveins, Young Turks, South Bay Bessie, and Featherweight
Written by: Andrea Janov, CC2K Music Editor
braidedveins :: Future / Forever :: SYG Records
Through every listen of this Future/Forever I tried to nail down a way to describe braidedveins to you. Though they have thrashy music and screaming vocals, they are not a hardcore band, though there are moments of throbbing bass and relentless drums they are not a metal band, though they embrace the atmosphere created by distortion, they are not an alternative band. They have created their own sound that is simply something to let wash over you.
This album has a lot of atmosphere. From the first notes there is a great vibe created by distortion over this robust thrashy music. The album opens up with Watch Carefully, a song that accosts you and sets you up for the rest of the album. An album that is full of relentless energy, distorted guitars, and screaming vocals.
Though this album is a-ma-zing, there is no way that it can even begin to capture what these song would sound and feel like live. I can only picture the band totally exhausting themselves on stage every night, throwing everything down on that stage and leave each set naked and drained, and the audience totally mesmerized.
Young Turks :: Where I Rise :: Animal Style Records
Yes, yes, we all know how much I love Young Turks, and after the 8 minutes of Where I Rise, you will love them too. This EP is 8 minutes of blistering hardcore that will pick you up, throw you around the room, and leave you exhausted. It is aggressive and it is a release, the vocals spit at you as the music attacks. You can feel the passion in every note, in every syllable.
Territo(royally) Pissed is a split track, it begins super hardcore aggressive the midway though, it slows down and becomes a brooding hardcore track. Zone K is a straight forward awesome hardcore song. Roe vs Wade vs Westbrook sets you up for a political statement immediately. The lyrics then explore all the bullshit that is politics and society and life. It had great rise and fall and some killer layered vocal sections. Old Gods is a slower song, it is still heavy and in the hardcore realm, but it has this haunting desolation underneath.
Each time I finish this record, I am energized and want to go out and change the fucking world.
South Bay Bessie :: Too Late :: SYG Records
Too Late is filled with attitude, energy, and some irresistible hooks. The sound is somewhere between classic old school and pop punk, which is just another way of saying that it is super catchy yet gruff enough to create a pit.
Forced Morality is a great song with high energy and an attitude and voice that is so snotty that in a few notes you can feel the pent up teen angst just oozing out. On Chicago Time is a punk rock love song. Hard drums, screaming, and longing lyrics create the perfect balance. It’s not too sweet, it’s not sappy, but it is ever so genuine. On Chicago Time follows the long line of punk songs that celebrate the everyday elements of a relationship while never sugar coating or romanticizing them. Instru-MENTAL is an instrumental track that totally steals the fucking show. It is exciting, vibrant, and robust. This is the song that you will be putting on mix tapes.
Featherweight :: Heaven Sent :: Limited Fanfare Records
The Heaven Sent EP starts out weird. Yeah, weird. It starts off with a female speaking voice. I am not sure if it is a clip from something I am supposed to recognize, but I totally don’t. The speech is slow and kind of creepy, and it lasts for 51 seconds. 51 seconds is a long ass time to listen to this woman whispering to you. Oh, I didn’t mention that yet? Yeah, she is whispering so you have to turn the volume way up to understand her, then suddenly, 52 seconds in, the music explodes and attacks your eardrums because you have had this turned up so loud. Welcome to punk rock 101 kids, irritate your audience from the moment they hit play, they’ll love you for it.
Once you have adjusted your volume, the first track, Ugly, is actually pretty damned good. Big Brother has a slow tempo, well slow for punk rock and is full of distortion. It has layered vocals that almost yell yet never quite go that far. This may sound odd, but I feel as though this track has a low center of gravity. The bass controls the sound and feel of this song and it simply feels so grounded. Heaven Sent is a fast track bordering on alternative with this great layer of menace and distorted vocals. There is also a great rise and fall within the track. Not Fooling You is my favorite track on the EP, it starts off with distortion before it really delves into what makes this track awesome- fast music with slow vocals that creates a super cool dynamic. There are also raw spots where you can hear straining vocals that are just magnificent.