 |
It’s nearly my favorite time of the year again… SUMMER
RELEASE SEASON! Right on the heels of Coachella, and just in time
to kick off the months of monster concerts like Bonnaroo, Weezer and
the infamous Warped Tour, June blasts us with refreshing music to
spend the summer rocking out to. Although the commercial airwaves
may be jam-packed with the usual weak seasonal offerings of hip-hop
and ‘rock’, these albums will actually excite you and
remind you why spent all those summers road tripping to follow your
favorite band. |
|
 |
|
|
 |
Motion
City Soundtrack – “Commit This To Memory”
(June 7, Epitaph)
Do I really need to explain to you why owning this album, produced
by Mark Hoppus (of Blink 182 fame), isn’t up for discussion?
If the acoustic version of “When You’re Around”
from their split album with Matchbook Romance wasn’t enough,
MCS’ new colorful arrangements of captivating hooks and
relentless rhythms filled with thrashing keys seamlessly blend
punk and pop, providing the answer as to what band I’ll
be spending the summer stalking. “Commit This To Memory”
will no doubt be the record that will bring the heat and make
your temperature rise. |
 |
No
Use For A Name – “Keep Them Confused”
(June 14, Fat Wreck Chords)
They’ve gotten their rehearsals in as house band of Carson
Daly’s show, and have been cooped up in the studio since
February. If making it to Warped Tour, Europe, Australia, or
Japan isn’t on the agenda for your immediate future, you
can still cop NUFAN’s latest album, filled with the same
hard-hitting cords and hardcore beats that make them one of
my favorite Main Stage bands at the Warped Tour. |
 |
The
Aquabats – “Charge!!” (June 14, Nitro)
Watch out! Six years is six years too long to leave the fiercely
loyal Aquacadets without a full length album, so be careful
not to get trampled as they swarm the record stores to check
out nerd-core at it’s finest. New wave meets new school
as The Aquabats emerge from their cave, charging head first
into the musical fray, armed with their uniquely sarcastic punk
sound in their most excellent album to date. |
 |
Bear
Vs. Shark – “Terrorhawk” (June 14,
Equal Vision)
Normally one wouldn’t use the word ‘therapeutic’
when describing a band, but Ferndale, Michigan’s Bear
Vs. Shark makes no attempt to hide their emotions behind a brut-esque
façade, delivering heartfelt tunes free from the usual
restraints of categories. Their spontaneous and irreplaceable
sounds can be heard on their second record on Equal Vision,
“Terrorhawk”. |
 |
The
Lawrence Arms – “Cocktails and Dreams”
(June 21, Asian Man)
Very few bands can pull off being aggressive while still being
able to carry a tune, let alone literary references. The Lawrence
Arms blend that punk soul with intelligent sensibility, showing
sure signs of maturity on their latest and last Asian Man album,
“Cocktails and Dreams”. Although now part of the
Fat Wreck family, stay tuned for a b-sides album and releases
of the band’s earlier work to be released later this year. |
 |
Omission
– “Refuse Regress” (June 21, Reflections)
Dutch hardcore? Is this some sort of oxymoron? Nope, just the
formula for explosive rock with captivating lyricism, breaking
the niche genre molds to offer an album of melodic chaos at
its finest. I’ve been rocking the core-tastical music
of Omission since a Netherlands native spread the word across
the sea, enjoying the fast-paced roller coaster of emotions
captured in melodies and the mind games of love lost. |
 |
Isle
Of View – “Gentle Firefly Radio” (June
28)
I have to give it up for five charming boys from my hometown,
Charm City. Bringing complex hooks to instant pop-punk anthems,
Isle records their first of what is sure to be many albums with
producer Steven Wright, who helped catapult fellow hometown
heroes SR-71 into the spotlight. For those who want a break
from the mundane of radio frock, and get back to some solid
rock and rolling, this album proves to be far from ‘gentle’. |
 |
Nural
– (to be announced, LP) (June 2005, Hopeless)
L.A.’s five piecer Nural, made predominantly of under-agers,
prove that age really isn’t anything but a number. Their
debut album on Hopeless Records showcases their trademark eclectic
style and never fails to deliver, with a slight tint of influence
from bands as dissimilar as Incubus and Queen, proving that
just because you’re a rock band, doesn’t mean that
you need to have an album of songs that all sound the same. |
 |
Hockey
Night – “Keep Guessing” (June 2005,
Lookout!)
Failure to allow themselves to be categorized into a niche has
allowed the boys of Hockey Night to be recognized as ‘pavement-influenced
indie rock’, but, as the album title warns, when the record
is done spinning you’ll still be lacking the proper adjectives
to explain the melodic magic you just heard. Resisting giving
into the music scene of their hometown of St. Paul, Minnesota,
their outrageously quality album on Lookout! Records solidifies
my adoration and takes the guesswork out of who my new favorite
band of the summer will be. |
 |
SoTheySay
- (to be announced, EP) (June 2005, Fearless)
Most musicians have a few side projects, but very few jump ship
to turn their jam sessions into a full-blown career. SoTheySay,
the result of countless other band lineups and mishaps, have
paid their dues to earn the honor of being St Louis’ latest
offerings for the Warped Tour masses. Delivering the spine-tingling
guitar solos that are bound to send the masses into mosh mode,
heed this punkettes warning and pre-order your EP now, before
the copies start slipping away. |
|
|
|
| Alright,
guys, that should be enough to hold you over till next time.
I don’t know about you, but the HFStival is my official
start date for a summer of hard core rockin’ out. So,
until next month, if you see me kicking it by the Warped Tour’s
Ernie Ball Stage, push through the sweaty masses and come join
in the fun! |
|
|
| by Whitney Fishman |
|
|
