Dressed In Blue Soliloquies

Pages, filled, cover the floor, all covered up with ink , words written over coffee document my struggling.

2009-12-14T17:14:00.000-08:00

The Riot Before - or rather, Brett Adams - have inspired me to blog again. I don't have much about myself to say; still in college, I work for an events company getting paid to go to concerts (wahay!) and I can't wait for Christmas to have some time at home with my parents and back in the good old places with familiar faces, drinking so much I can't see (is that a Springsteen song? It should be!). I kinda feel like I need something to break up the monotony that is college-work-sleep-repeat. At least I'm not broke anymore. My lowest point was having 36c to my name and not even being able to get a bus to see my best friend. Whoa.

I'm here because I've been hooked on this band, The Riot Before, since the summer. Now, when I get hooked on a band, it's serious. It's like a new love that I can't stop texting and thinking about and and keep boring my friends by talking about them and can never understand why others don't see what I see. TRB were a recommendation to me and the words were "They're a mix of Against Me! and The Gaslight Anthem". Well I did not need to be told twice. This band are in no way a rip-off and cannot be accused of "jumping on the folk-punk/Springsteen bandwagon". Yeah, sure there are some guitar effects that you could call derivative and Brett may not have a flawless voice, but few bands I listen to could boast that (with the exception of Dan Andriano- his voice is perfect. Don't argue with me.). They're a four-piece from Richmond, Virginia, with the exception of Brett Adams, who hails from California complete with his classic American accent.
My introduction was the exquisite "Fists Buried in Pockets", their sophomore album whose title is reportedly a reference to a change in punk attitudes were maybe we are no longer raising our fists in the air, but burying them in our pockets (clever, eh?). It has this simultaneous air of melancholy, passion and energy about it that would pique anyone's interest, but what sold it to me were the lyrics. The stand-out track for me was Words Written Over Coffee (from where the title of this entry derives). The subject matter gave me this lightbulb moment where, yeah, I loved the song and listened to it for the harmonica parts, but I realised that it was about growing up and forming your own ideas, being raised by religious parents and realising that you no longer share their beliefs. this was something that I could identify with and with lyrics poignant as these, I was addicted:

"See I used to be a mustard seed shouting at the mountain
I used to hang my head when it stayed far from the ocean
I used to claim its failure and from the depths of depression
I cried to god but god did not respond

Like a barrel chested strongman I suspended disbelief
I held it high over my head though all the weight was staggering
But legs buckled and muscles burned, in came gravity
I dropped it all, faced what I'd been avoiding

For many years I walked that road, for many years I tried
So earnestly I sought the relationship advertised
But my empty hands, my empty heart, could no longer be denied
Yeah I quit, I forfeit eternal life"

I have fallen in love with the entire album and of course was made up to learn that they'd be releasing an acoustic EP with a selection of songs from it entitled "Fists.....Out Of Sockets" This EP is amazing. The tracklist was comprised of all of my favourite songs from "...Pockets". It took this EP in particular to show me the beauty of the lyrics, stripped-down, raw and vulnerable. "Capillaries" was always a song I thought was catchy but it was only in the acoustic version where I realised - wow, this is poetry :

Singing tongues over rhythm
Always searching for words
I'm alone in the backseat
In communion with chords
Tightened strings over fret boards
Transcend the distance of stars
But the light that's received is distant history
The present still lost in the dark

Of course, since I loved "Fists" so much, I had to get "Horsehoes and Handgrenades". This was made by a much younger band, and the difference is amazing. The sound is way more up-tempo and faster, and the lyrics are not as polished [as are the vocals], but you can hear the makings of a great band in there. The subject matter may be in the same vein but I think it took the extra growth to accomlish what they did with "Fists". Here's some of the stand out stuff:

"I was wise, went downwind
I hid all the evidence
but then I saw you walking slowly down the stairs with your friends
soon the dogs caught the smell and the detective found prints
so I kicked, and I fought
did all I could just to resist
my dirty face on the ground a heavy knee in my back
and I'm heading downtown with handcuffs tight around my wrists
I was home free, and headed south
I'd buy an island and relax
now I'm, locked up, and staring out
through metal bars at what I had
it was airplanes and dirty vans
and a confession to fog the air
now your, hooked up with an old friend
all I have this paper a pen and all these
really good reasons to swear"

If the difference was so vast between just two albums, then I'm unbelievably excited for the next effort which is in post-production right now. Please, please check these guys out so I have someone to gush about them over OK?

Like a drunken night, it's the best bits that are coloured in.

2009-09-10T08:04:00.000-07:00

I think it's about time I wrote something and stopped looking at the blank box on this screen. I'm back in college next week! It'll be great to be a semi-productive member of society again. I had a pretty good summer, I got to see a lot of my friends, quit my job and went back to London as a tourist this time. I felt a little bit more of a part of the city last time, since I had somewhere to be and somewhere I was a part of, but nevertheless it was great to get away from my town for a while and enjoy the city the way it's meant to be enjoyed. I still want to move there!

I don't actually know if I have anything I need to vent about. This blog is supposed to be a safe place for my ramblings but I don't know if it is that anymore, someone will always see it and no matter how well I articulate myself I think there is always a chance I will be misunderstood. I can still try I guess.
I've been watching everyone grow up. It's quite amazing see people change over the course of their lives- I've seen my friends fall in love, lose it, regain it and vow to keep it forever. I've seen them at their very worst and I've been like a proud mother when I've been reminded of the reason I'm friends with them in the first place. It's the time of year again where we all part ways and we make all these plans about how much we'll see each other. It never lives up to how we planned, maybe that's my cynical side coming out but maybe that's just life. It's a rare friendship that goes through such a major transition and survives unchanged and the exact way it was. But that's a good thing! With regard to my friends from school, we've all become such drastically different people and at different times that we needed to go through a disgustingly bitchy patch to come out the other end as equals and realise what was inportant. I wonder what things would've been like if that hadn't happened. I know other circles of friends who never went through that, and all there seems to be is resentment and quiet insults and playful bragging. That gets to a point where it's not healthy.
I have newer friendships which have all of it ahead. I think when people become completely confident and comfortable with each other, you realise that things aren't necessarily perfect- people are self absorbed or they're insensitive, they make poor decisions which disappoint you or they're not as caring towards others as they are towards you, and with that comfort you realise that it's okay to let it bother you. You don't always have to bite your tongue, because you still have to go through all the changes you needed to go through with your oldest friends. Tell them they're pissing you off or they're out of order or that they just need to wake up, otherwise it turns unto that resentment or quiet insults or playful bragging. It's when you stop caring enough to want them to change their ways that you're in trouble.

Frightened Rabbit will constantly remind me of summer 2009. They were a discovery through the TV show "Chuck"- the biggest attraction was Scott Hutchison's Scottish accent. I'm a sucker for a Scottish accent, and I fully blame David Tennant, but I won't bore you to tears with my sci-fi streak, and I'll stick to the choons. Midnight Organ Fight is one of the most beautifully produced, perfectly written and seductively executed albums I've ever owned. It contains no filler tracks, it has no low points and it does not get boring. The lyrics, despite being crude in places, are real. It uses Scottish colloquialisms and universal swearwords in the midst of heartwrenching songs of love and loss and it just adds to the charm. The whole record has this retro, dreamy feel that makes me think to hear it on vinyl would be an entirely different experience. Songs like "Poke" and "Good Arms Vs Bad Arms", about the breakdown of a long term relationship and the separation of two lives that were once a single unit, has this modern charm that shakes off the cliché of "I can't live without you" to make way for the practicality that faces today's couples. "The Twist" and "Keep Yourself Warm" have an interesting take on the use of casual sex and universal feeling of low self-esteem and lonliness that would drive someone to sleep with numerous strangers; from reading someone's behaviour in a social setting to never even learning their name or caring to after the makeshift "couple" have gone home together. It's not simply an album of love songs, it's an album which soundtracks the perils of meeting a soulmate in the modern climate- the risk of getting hurt and the loss of someone who shared your life, and did I mention it's all wrapped up in a neat little indie-acoustic-folk-rock bundle? Give it a spin, and you can thank me later.

xx

I am not blogging about 21st Century Breakdown.

2009-05-19T12:26:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry, but I'm sick of hearing about it. I haven't listened to it yet, I will in my own time, but right now I'm fed up of it!

Wow, two entries in the same month? Sacre Bleu! I MUST be inspired. Or angry. Or bored. Who cares I'm glad about it.
It's summer.. it actually is. I can go have a smoke outside and not freeze and I can wear sunglasses and cut-off shorts. It's amazing. As the seasons have rotated full circle, so has my life and my relationships. I'm so happy to be without conflict. I am not a person who likes drama. I know some girls who just create it out of thin air; they thrive on having something to complain about or someone to blame their problems on or an argument that they cannot resolve. I'm the opposite. Arguing physically hurts me, blaming people makes me feel guilty and complaining just makes me even angrier. I need to vent as much as the next person [hence this blog] but there has to be a line drawn somewhere. I yearn for... not a "quiet" life but one where people get along and there isnt awkwardness and there isn't a history of conflict between people that cannot be let drop. I asked a good friend earlier why everyone in my life can't be happy at the same time, just once. The reply was that life wouldn't be as interesting. I guess that's true but I'd still like to see what it's like. I give everyone a chance to make amends and apologise, even if they've hurt me more than even they know, if it's a friend or a guy in my life. Maybe I'm a walkover, who knows. I think I'd rather be a bit of a walkover than lose people who genuinely want to say sorry. So long as they know that I won't let it happen again, I don't see the problem.

Maybe it's all to do with my confidence. As I mentioned in the last entry, my self-esteem is gone. I don't know what's happened but I've regained this shyness that I had in secondary school. It's awful. I was sure this part of my life was behind me, but I guess it was just hidden. I can't argue my points properly because I'm sure the other person's probably right- and for someone who wants to be a journalist, this is not good. I'm convinced that no matter what I think I'm good at, someone else is 100 times better than me, so what's the point? With regard to my physical features, I can't look in the mirror anymore and I've become obsessed with beauty products to an unhealthy level, I know it's not right but I can't stop myself. Worst of all is when I eat something it comes with an overwhelming guilt afterwards. I thought I was over this, I really did.

Fuck, this was a lot heavier than I intended so I think it's time to switch gears to the music. I think for a change I'll list five songs that I've been obsessed with lately, not all are recent releases, but they're all amazing.

1. Tie Me Up With Jackets- Fight Like Apes- This song is the one that turned my interest in Fight Like Apes from passing curiousity to obsession. The melody, the breakdown, the lyrics.. everything.
Listen Here

2. Black Eyes- Gallows
So I may have gotten a sneak preview of this album when I was working at Rock Sound, and this was definitely the stand-out track. Frank Carter's opening lines are simultaneously sexy, hearfelt and full of rage. This would not get out of my head.
Listen Here

3.Kiss The Bottle- Lucero
I got into Lucero through a recommendation on this very blog [thanks, whoever you are!], and I had a big fondness for Jawbreaker already. Although the Jawbreaker original is perfect, this acoustic cover demonstrates exactly why, sometimes, when the lyrics are good enough, the instruments should be stripped down and the lyrics allowed to speak for themselves.
Listen Here

4 Oh, There's Legwork- None More Black
In short, this song maybe the catchiest thing you've heard for years. In full, they lyrics are beautiful, the chorus is infectious, the message is profound and the whole song deserves to be on repeat.
Listen Here

5. I Got Love- The King Blues
Ok so this isn't something Ive lately been obsessed over, but I was shopping the other week and this came on over the speakers, and I ended up dancing out of there. Have you ever heard anything so positive?
Listen Here

Later skaters
x

Opinions & Assholes

2009-05-09T13:38:00.000-07:00

Everybody's got one.

I haven't been very inspired of late, hence the large gaping hole between this entry and the last. I haven't been up to much, just living. I've realised lately how much I'm relied upon. I guess it's flattering and I'm glad that I'm needed, but I sometimes can't help but feel like it's all a bit too much. No matter how much I want to fix things and put a sticky plaster on the problem and kiss it better, I just can't. I've been asked for advice on matters I've never experienced myself, I'm just bluffing and hoping I don't steer people in the wrong direction but in truth, I really don't have a notion what I'm talking about a good 70% of the time. I've talked to people about this, some said it's because I appear to have insight, others said it's simply because I don't tell people to fuck off when they come to me with their problems. Whatever it is, if nothing else it has given me perspective. I had a close friend come to me with a life-shattering secret. She was distraught and I still don't know why she told me out of most people- and don't get me wrong, I'm honoured she did- but helping her deal with her problem showed me how much growing up I still have to do, and showed me that the bullshit boy troubles and bitchy friend dilemma's I've been tackling are small potatoes. Things always work out and dwelling on things that are just a part of life does nothing but make you ill. As a friend from UCD said to me once: "Worrying is like a rocking-chair- it doesn't get you anywhere but it gives you something to do".
It's not always simple though. I've come up against hurdles with those I love. I've made a pact with myself that I no longer bite my tongue and I come clean with my thoughts and feelings towards people. I could begin by testing the water with a few sarcastic half-truths, but that's just as good as lying. People are not always appreciative of criticism. I completely understand. I have yet to grow a thick skin and even a joking insult has me questioning everything about myself. [sidenote- the self-confidence thing I'm working on... it's taken a nosedive. What am I doing wrong?! Damn]I do worry that my new honesty will get me into trouble, but I think these are the years I should dedicate to self-improvement, and I think in terms of my career goals, people will respect my opinion much more if I am honest. I refuse to be a Yes [wo]Man.
Hmm, I sense a few targets for myself over the coming year.... Maybe I can do it and update you on my progress?

Ok now for the lovely noise. Despite this blog being named after a None More Black song [more on them when I feel qualified to discuss their awesomeness], the Fight Like Apes reference in the preceding sentence and your blogger listening to The Lawrence Arms as she types this, I'm going to discuss Tegan and Sara!
T&S came under my radar about three years ago now. I think it was just after The Con was released and there was so much buzz on my myspace friends list that I felt I was missing something by not checking them out. They were so much better than I thought they would be. For those of you who are yet to listen, and I'm sure there are very few, Tegan and Sara are a set of Canadian twins, cute as a button and they can write a filthy good tune. They combine this mix of powerpop and alternative acoustic and even [at a stretch] riot grrrl and it's just infectious. I don't think I've once gotten bored of listening to them. Though the lyrics can at times be extremely abstract- especially in Tegan's case- the beauty of them is the fact that anyone can identify and deduce and believe that the song could've been written by their own hand. I love the fact that they've become expert story tellers stemming from a time when they didn't have enough material to fill a set; I love that they dress like 12 year old boys and it has somehow become a fashion statement; most of all I love that I have somehow memorised all the words to their songs and can regurgitate any of them on a drunken night walking down a road in ridiculous heels and still feel as good as I did the first time I got My Number stuck in my head.

Here's Nineteen. This acoustic version is simply astounding. Please listen to it even if you've heard the recorded version a million and one times. It's got particular meaning for me. What's yours?

All By Myself.

2009-04-01T16:17:00.000-07:00

Life's been confusing of late. Because I have to repeat the year at college, (did I mention that? Well I do. It sucks.) I'm not really sure how much I have to still do this year. I've sort of been avoiding going in because I feel like a failure when I'm there. I'm surrounded by people who are ace-ing the course and it just feels a bit pointless my being around them, wondering what the hell they're talking about. Somehow the three weeks I was away they seemed to learn the most out of the whole year, they're different people. It's good I'm repeating in that respect. Trying to catch up now would be a disaster. London really cleared my head, there's nothing like travelling, walking, eating, shopping and sleeping alone to give you time to reflect. Of course I missed my friends, sometimes with a physical ache in my stomach- especially when they had things happening in their lives that I should've been around for, but I realised when I came back that I kind of ran away from everything that wasn't going so well in my life, and nothing had changed when I returned. I guess it's better than last year- then I just got depressed and drank myself stupid, alone and pathetic. Having more of a passion for my course is still making me happy though, I'm getting more ideas and working on my confidence with my writing. The few friends who did buy the magazine I was involved in seemed pleasantly suprised by what I'd produced, which was a boost. Although I know they couldn't really say otherwise to me! I'm just promising myself I'll work harder and get rid of my defeatist attitude.
The other confusing thing is the people in my life; there was one or two people who I was convinced were gone from my life for good, friendship and relationship wise. Recently though they've made an effort to get back on speaking terms with me. I'm still cautious about letting people get too close to me. I learned a lot over the last year about how I want to be treated in my friendships and by men. It's safe to say I was a complete doormat, convinced that people could treat me how they wanted and if I took it and stayed nice they'd realise and change. I stopped that. I had a guy who -intentionally or unintentionally, I'd guess unintentionally- played with my emotions for a long time. Because of my shyness I never worked up the guts to tell him how I felt about him and because of this, I think he thought it didn't matter how he treated me because we were just friends. It took some good advice and a lot of support from friends to realise it was better than that. I took a break form him for a while and after some thinking I started to get over it. Now we're in contact probably more regularly than ever, and even if he's oblivious to how I felt about him before, I'm not going weak at the knees for him like last time. Still, he's a really cool guy and I enjoy his company immensely-I like having him to talk to. With regard to friendship, I don't really want to get into it, and I'm not sure why there's been a sudden change. Seemingly there's been a lot of self examination and maturing in my absence and I'm thrilled about it. Sadly, our friendship can never get back to how it was- too much has happened and I've forged such strong bonds with new friends I feel it could compromise that if I took a step backwards. I'm extremely glad that there isn't the bad feeling anymore and I don't have to feel apprehensive about going out when i'm home at college or avoid people I obviously know.
As i said, many changes in my life lately, and very confusing times. Now, on to the music:

I had a few ideas about what artists I wanted to dedicate this blog to, but I realised that I wanted to acknowledge the solo careers of some of the singers of my favourite bands.
I've been spoiled with acoustic and electro side projects from the likes of Tom Gabel, Matt Skiba, Brian Fallon, Chuck Ragan, Chris McCaughan, Chris Wollard and of course Dan Andriano. This is time-appropriate considering the upcoming Florida date with Dan, Tom and Brendan Kelly of The Lawrence Arms. I'd sell my right arm to be able to go to that show, but alas, it's too far away and I'm stone broke.
Tom Gabels solo EP "Heart Burns" got a sort of mixed reaction, and I guess that honestly I prefer the videos of the acoutic renditions of the songs to the recorded, more electro versions. Still, the message of the songs are the same and Tom produced a solid release to add to his amazing body of work which I'm sure he's rightfully proud of.
Dan Andriano is my favourite vocalist of all time, whether it's his work with Alkaline Trio or his solo split with Mike Felumlee, and Dan with an acoustic guitar is one of the most beautiful things in the world. His voice his like velvet, his lyrics are heartbreaking and his presence is always endearing. It's a goal of mine to get to one of his rare acoustic performances before I shed this mortal coil.
With regard to Chuck Ragan, I actually did the discovery backwards- I was a fan of Chuck's solo work before Hot Water Music, funnily enough. It was at the beginning of my acoustic phase and I couldnt get enough of the bearded, burly one. There isn't one of his songs that I'm tired of and his album "Bristle Ridge"with Austin Lucas is one of my most played of last year. "Do What You Do" is one of my favourite ever songs. Truely Astounding.
Newest to the game is Gaslight's Brian Fallon (Oh, BRIAN), who has had some tracks on his own Myspace for a while now. My favourite has to be "The Blues, Mary". Everything about this song, from the intro, the husky vocal and the lyrics to the "Amazing Grace" harmonies is absolutely perfect. I'll leave you with a video of the man himself performing it. Thanks for reading, and let me know if you have any recommendations for me.

x

Stay[ing] Together For The Kids?

2009-03-21T08:41:00.000-07:00

It's been quite a while.
Man, I read back over my previous entries last night. I was one angry bitch eh? Well, it's all in the past really, I've moved on and I've had a lot happen to me in the last while that makes me want to start blogging again. The first being that I genuinely love writing, and I've realised that. I find nothing in this world more therapeutic and satisfying than writing my heart's desire. The second is that I spent three weeks in London interning with Rock Sound magazine. Now, please understand when I say that this is a huge deal for me. It cemented the fact that working somewhere like that would be an ultimate dream for me. I would move there tomorrow if they asked and well I have to keep in the game don't I?

Anyway, I sat staring at this screen wondering what or who to blog about - I had such great intentions and now I've hit a slump - but I realised I should've said something long ago about the Blink 182 reunion. Blink to me are everything that was good about my youth and many a drunken night was spent tearfully willing them to get back together. I'd pretty much accepted the fact it was never going to happen and the concert I went to in 2004 was the first and last time I'd ever see them on stage together. Eventually, I began to realise that I didn't want them to return. Those years and songs should be frozen in the time I experienced them, as memories. Seemingly, just when everyone had given up hope (and as some said.. "stopped caring"..sad face) they crawl out of the woodwork (or out of their respective mansions and post-Blink-flirtations) for another crack at it as a band again.
Now, don't get me wrong, it's amazing that they're back together, but I can't help but wonder what's going to happen. I mean, they went out at the top of their game. The last album - Self Titled - was a huge step forward in maturing their sound, and although they were criticised for not being the carefree idiots they once were, what we witnessed was promising and some of the songs that appeared on that release have become some of my all-time favourites. Now they're faced with the challenge of making a record that is better than that previous release PLUS the AVA/+44 efforts combined. As we have seen, this is not a band that forgives and forgets easily. it has been well documented that the beginning of the whole debaucle was Tom's (amd Travis') involvement in Box Car Racer. Mark Hoppus was -understandably- upset that, evidently, it wasn't that Tom needed to make music without Blink, Tom needed to make music without him.

Even years after the fact, the Box car subject was still being raised and Mark was always vocal about how it had upset him. So after an event that lasted mere months, how can we expect a rift that lasted three years to be healed, regardless if it took the near-death of Travis Barker to kick-start it?
Adding to my doubts are the seemingly stand-offish demeanor of Tom at the Grammys and his serious composure.
Of course, without being a close friend of the band I can hardly trust my judgement, but remembering how they were before and how they were now, a lot has changed. I just hope it hasnt been too much.

Lyric time.
This song has been relevant so many times for me growing up in a small town populated by chavs and old people.

Mom and dad they quite don't understand it,
all the kids they laugh as if they planned it
Why do girls wanna pierce their nose,
and walk around in torn pantyhose, oh yeah

I like the ones who say they listen to the punk rock
I like the kids who fight against how they were brought up
They hate the trends and think it's fucked to care,
it's cool when they piss people off with what they wear, oh yeah

So give me one good reason,
why we need to be like them
Kids will have fun and offend,
They don't want to and don't fit in

Hate the jocks, the preps, the hippie fucking scumbags
Heavy metalers with their awful pussy hair bands
counting seconds until we can get away,
ditching school almost every single day, oh yeah

So give me one good reason,
why we need to be like them
Kids will have fun and offend,
They don't want to and don't fit in

Give me one good reason,
why we need to be like them
Kids will have fun and offend,
They don't want to and don't fit in

Laters x.

Searching For A Former Clarity

2008-12-11T17:12:00.000-08:00

It's nearly Christmas, which means it's nearly New Year, which means it's nearly time to make a whole load of resolutions that I won't keep and that I'll re-read later and feel shitty about. Well how about cleaning the slate first? The main purpose of this whole thing was so that I could vent and whine and bitch and not feel like I'm burdening anyone. And to spread the wealth of any music I happened to have encountered along the way. If you're an Against Me! fan you already know that they're the subject of this one judging from the title.

NOTE: This entry was edited on March 21. I don't care enough to be angry with those people anymore, so I'm just forgetting it. :)

Now, Tom Gabel is a fucking genius. I love how he thinks, talks, sings, plays and writes.
I first heard Against Me! when I got hooked on Tegan and Sara. Yeah, you may have guessed this means I'm late to the game, but you can feel all superior and happy with yourself now.. shortly before New Wave came out, AM! were on T&S's top friends on Myspace. I checked them out, the first song I heard was Thrash Unreal.. and, well.. that was it. I bought New Wave and listened to it inside out. A few weeks later I met a guy I'd already met at a Rise Against gig, and he asked me (I'm guessing on the off chance.. he couldn't have known) if I was going to see AM! in a few weeks time. I hadn't known they were playing and of course I went.. and had one of those amazing moments where.. you thought you really liked a band before.. but then you see them live.. and it's special. I had to own everything they'd released. I don't know if I have favourite album.. because every time I think I settle on one I realise a song I adore is on another one. I'm aware of the whole "sell out" thing, and I get why so many people were upset that a band so full of integrity went back on their word.. but, as the old cliché[Guevara?..no] goes, there's more important things in the world like war and famine. And Tom Gabel would probably be the first to tell you that too.
I guess if I really had to pick an album it would be Searching For A Former Clarity. After AM! moved to Fat Wreck they encountered this "sell out" argument. [so yeah, nothing original there, New Wavers]. Weighing heavily on their song themes is public perception, the pressure of pleasing the fans and the strain of staying together. The title track is heart-wrenching in its undestated simplicity.. from Tom's voice to the beating drum to the intermittent strums. The song tells a story and the lyrics shine through. Also buried on this one are gems like Justin, Joy[some of Gabel's most beautiful lyrics], Pretty Girls, Don't Lose Touch and Even At Our Worst We're Still Better Than Most [which has my favourite closing segment.. apart from Violence, that is]. Even if you think Against Me! have "sold out", don't be an ass and deprive yourself of their earlier stuff. It's pure gold.
I would leave you with some lyrics , but I think this blog is long enough... ah go on then.. here's some"Joy"

All's quiet, except for this song.
So maybe while I'm not together I can feel like I'm not alone.
And somewhere off in the distance, rapidly advancing,
is an onslaught of sorts.
Young sirens wail in a skewed sense of glory.
And the lions in the cages roar at the memory of fight.

And there's a joy, a joy in all I can see.
A joy, in every possibility.

I Got Love

2008-12-06T14:46:00.000-08:00

I've neglected this thing already. Fuck.

It's been a bit of a hectic week. It's still hectic.. I'm supposed to be doing assignments, but I decided that if I don't update this tonight it'll never happen. So what's been up? College is shit. I have to repeat an assignment for Radio Production. I fucking hate it. I have no interest in it at all. Yet if I want to pass the whole course I have to do this. Also, I have work at 8am tomorrow morning. In case I didn't mention, [which I'm sure I didn't] I work in a supermarket. I don't like it but my colleagues are legends and I'm too fond of clothes, alcohol, music and make-up to give it up any time soon. What's a girl to do?
Despite my impossible workload I went to a friend-of-a-friend's gig on Thursday. It was a Tom Petty tribute. As someone who only really knows "American Girl" I still thought it was good.. although that could be the tequila talking. No wonder I don't drink when I'm reviewing. I know Petty is a huge influence on The Gaslight Anthem so I gotta respect him for that. We hung out with my friend J's mates after. It's comforting to know that you can change the county, the venue, the music and the people; but all over the place kids are doing the exact same thing and talking about the same stuff. It was like a surrogate group for me. Apart from the little cunt not respecting J's boundaries. Die painfully, dick'ead.

So what was my point again? Oh yes.. I planned to express my love for the genius that is The King Blues. There's so much about this band I should hate.. the cheesy lyrics, the clichéd subject matter, the cockney accent and the reggae beats.. but somehow when it's all combined it's just magic. These guys were once again a recommendation.. from a few different sources. I don't think there's any other band that makes me so proud to listen to my own music. I've only so far bought Save The World, Get The Girl, so my opinion is solely based on this. Who knows, I could love or hate Under the Fog.. but anywho.
Each song is like an old-world ballad, and in some cases knocks the shit out of pretentious love-songs of late. There's no striving for poetic, flowery imagery here. Just songs you could've written yourself about last weekend.. if you had the talent that is. [I'm thinking of Underneath This Lamppost Light here].
If there's one weakness of mine in songs, it's when bands namedrop their influences. well there's plenty on here. "What If Punk Never Happened" is a spoken-word closer which gives me this indescribable feeling. A mix of pride, relief, nostalgia, love, hate,empowerment and hope. If I could write something half as amazing as this I'd be a happy girl. I think the best way i can convince anyone reading this is posting the lyrics. I urge you to read them all... I know there's a lot. Or better still, go buy the album and listen to it. It could be your best purchase of the year.

Well on a cold Tuesday morning, I was walking into town,

Had my headphones blaring, didn’t notice what was around,

I crossed the road, a car swerved and nearly ran me down,

Looked in the driver’s seat, I swear to God it was Doc Brown,

He said “Are you Michael J Fox?” I said “No I’m Jonny Fox”,

He said “Close enough, get inside,

I’m taking you with me to see another time,

A place you could only have dreamed in your mind,

An alternative reality situated just outside of Clapham,

So strap yourself in,

Cos where we’re going you don’t need roads,

To get to where punk never happened”

We landed in a concrete desert, rubble as far as the eye could see,

I says to Doc “Where we goin’?”

Doc says he’s following me,

We found the only building in the city that was left standing,

It was my local venue,

I know cos I recognised the landing,

And there’s a gig on tonight! This town ain’t so bad,

I got everything I need, right here in this pad,

So I pulled out a bottle and took a heroic swig,

Made myself comfortable and got ready for the gig,

Well an hour after doors and there was still no-one there,

The soundman was on acid, the fucking long hair,

The bands never showed cos they didn’t see the point,

When all the kids are at home still smoking a joint,

They won’t go out and do nothing, not on your nelly,

They’re just watching the telly and then feeding their belly,

Their parents listen to The Beatles, while they listen to Nirvana,

Cos Green Day and The Pistols, well they never heard either,

They got long sleeve T-shirts and they never shower,

They still believe in flower power,

The hippy dream’s faded but they got nothing new,

So they wear flares and slippers and burn incense sticks too,

The kids would rather skate than go out and smash the state,

While their parents sit still and meditate,

Action’s at a low when people just don’t care,

They zoned out to their surroundings, the anger’s not there,

And I’m stuck in this hippy, grunge reality,

Where the buildings are crumbling down from apathy,

They grab you at school when you’ve just turned 13,

And show you your brand new, life long routine,

You can sleep and work, and work and sleep,

So you can save up the money to buy a new jeep,

So you can sleep and work, and work and sleep,

Then sleep. Then work. Then work. Then sleep.

I pulled a fanzine out my back pocket, held it in my hands,

And watched the colours slowly fade away,

The words bled right off of the pages til it had nothing left to say,

I banged on the jukebox but it was useless,

It had no good records on,

Not even something weak like ‘The Best Punk Album In The World Ever Volume 1’,

Outside the windows, I saw the excavators coming to tear the place down,

No-one stopped them, for there is no community left in this town,

There’s no-one around to fight Margaret Thatcher,

The power of the flower just couldn’t match her,

Too strong was the will of Parliament to cause damage,

That with no punk rock everything went unchallenged,

Land got knocked down to build more land,

That got knocked down again for a couple more grand,

With no punk the protests were full of throwbacks calling each other comrade,

Of course the young folks’ attendance started to fade,

So it was easy for the police to move in, they were trusted,

And that’s when the whole damn town got busted,

They moved CCTV cameras in everywhere,

But the people were too apathetic to care,

They made them carry ID cards to state where they’re from,

As if by being born they had done something wrong,

They shipped all the poor folk to live out in the edges,

So the rich folk could move in and peer over their hedges,

“But before you leave, you’d better build our homes,

There, we’ve done you a favour, now you’re on your own,

This ain’t your home no more, go find somewhere new,

I know you ain’t got the money, cos it’s me who employs you,

I know everything about you, what you eat, how you dress,

Your hobbies, your turn-ons, your email address,

While I had you working in the dark, you didn’t realise,

That I completely stopped your ability to organise,

I didn’t let you have a reason to communicate,

I banned punk rock knowing you hippies would seal your own fate,

I controlled everything you wrote, everything you created,

I distracted you with advertisements so you forgot what you hated,

I fed your dark side, kept you consuming and competing,

And like a dog that doesn’t know when to stop eating,

You took it all, oh and long was it my intention,

You could have beat me if punk rock was your invention”,

Instead the city will be sold to the highest bids,

If only Sham 69 had of united the kids,

If only the 4 Skins had told us ACAB,

If only The Ramones had let us know we were a happy family,

If only The Buzzcocks had shown us how to do it ourself,

If only Crass had shown us there are things more important than wealth,

If only The Vandals had shown us it was OK to smile,

If only The Dead Kennedys had helped us put our government on trial,

If only Rancid had played live, and brought with them that vibe,

If we had Sick Of It All and Madball we could put them all on the frontline,

If we had GG Allin we’d have learned it’s OK to be hated,

If we’d have had The Refused then we could have innovated,

If we’d had Poison Idea then they couldn’t push us over,

If we’d had Minor Threat then we could have done it sober,

If we’d have had Against Me we could have done it all unplugged,

If we’d had Operation Ivy we could have done it then fucked off,

If we had The Blitz, The Clash, Disorder, Propagandhi,

The Exploited, NOFX and anyone that’s handy,

There’s a lesson to be learned, one that I will take home,

When I return to my normal reality zone,

Punk rock has the power to change the world,

It lies in every single punk rock boy and girl,

So don’t let anyone tell you you’re not worth the earth,

These streets are your streets, this turf is your turf,

Don’t let anyone tell you that you’ve got to give in,

Cos you can make a difference, you can change everything,

Just let your dreams be your pilot, your imagination your fuel,

Tear up the book and write your own damn rules,

Use all that heart, hope and soul that you’ve got,

And the love and the rage that you feel in your gut,

And realise that the other world that you’re always looking for,

Lies right here in front of us, just outside this door,

And it’s up to you to go out there and paint the canvas,

After all, you were put on the earth to do this,

So shine your light so bright that all can see,

Take pride in being whoever the fuck you want to be,

Throw your fist in the air in solidarity,

And shout “Viva la punk, just one life, anarchy”.

www.kingblues.net

www.myspace.com/thekingblues

01?

2008-11-20T17:18:00.000-08:00

I talk too much. About everything. And nothing. You know the term "empty vessels make the most noise"? I'm in danger of living up to that. So that's the purpose of this blog-instead of boring others with my thoughts, I'll ramble them here and if you want to read them, be my guest! Seemingly this is the done thing with blogs, writing a mission statement. But that's exactly what I shouldn't do. I don't know what I'm going to put in here. For someone who wants to make a career out of journalism, I write shockingly little. I want my area to be music, so what I'll say for now is that this will be a music blog with some of my own thoughts thrown in to bore you and as therapy for me. Don't like it? Go read something else then.

I suppose I should give a little musical background?
I was born and raised in a crappy little town in north-west Ireland. My family is extremely musical on both sides. So much so that until I was about 8 I assumed everyone's dad played in a band. [a wedding/pub band that is, not talking professionals here] I listened to what everyone else listened to -pop and chart music- until I was around 13 and I began listening to the Rick O'Shea show after school. His show was different to others in that he played whatever he wanted regardless of genre. He had requests but only played them if he felt like it. I found myself becoming more drawn to the alternative content on his shows. My first big band was the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I was obsessed with them and they opened me up to everything I'd been missing. Eventually I found my way to the punk and-dare I say it- emo side of things and I don't think I've really looked back.

So right now it's 01:30 on a Friday morning and I'm pretty sure I have nothing to write about.
Oh no, wait.

Today was a good day. After waiting months [yes, wow..whole months] for The Gaslight Anthem to announce an Irish date, they have for 2009.
To go about explaining the appeal of this band seems to me like having to tell someone sex is an enjoyable act. It should be common knowledge. As was the case of several people I've discussed the band with, the attraction wasn't instant. Like when you meet someone but think they're ok, possibly a bit boring but become friends after you've had a long talk over tea or a memorable experience together. That's how me and TGA were introduced. I learned their name through friends on The Blood Pact [that's an Alkaline Trio fanclub, for those who don't know, but that's a different day and probably several different blogs] shortly before The'59 Sound came out. I don't remember what I first head on their Myspace profile, but whatever it was didn't blow me away. I forgot about them for a month or so until I heard "We Came To Dance".
That was it, our memorable experience together.
I had to own everything they put out.
Of course they have filler material but there are very few bands that don't. They make me dance and cry and miss my teens even though I'm still in them. They make me wish I went to dance halls and played jukeboxes and dated boys who drove White Lincoln cars and listened to the radio with my family. They seem to be transported from a different era, yet what they're doing seems to be one of the most innovative, fresh and exciting sounds to emerge in recent years. I seem to seek out other fans just to share in the gushing. Where I live there's a grand total of four people who have heard of them, but I expect that to change soon enough.
So they're finally coming here and playing a wee venue. I can't wait.

Now how can we convince The King Blues to support them?