As far as EP’s go, I gotta say, this package from Philadelphia indy, roots punkers, is about as gorgeous as they come. Marbled blue vinyl, with a full color insert with lyrics and stuff. 12” 45 rpm, 4-tracks. I mean, these cats didn’t spare any expense on this one. So the question is; does the music make that beautiful package worthwhile?
And the answer is an alley-clamoring “yes.” Occupying a niche firmly planted between the aggression of hard core, the earnestness of mid-western roots rock, and the jangly, shoegazng, intelligentsia of indy rock, Restorations sound unlike any other band I’d heard in quite some time. With a rough-hewn, leather-bent to the vocals, delicate acoustic guitars, and an impending sense of danger, as if any song could explode at any second, these guys come across like The Replacements mixed with an acoustic Black Flag. I’ve read that bands like The Constantines and Red Collar explore similar territory, but I don’t know them. I know Restorations, and I know what I like. And this is it.
Each song plays out like a mini countrypunk-gothic epic, unfolding at its own leisurely pace, led in by a gentle strum or languishing pick. But the danger is always there, hiding, waiting. Whether or not each song explodes or not isn’t as important as the drama they create, the dark clouds that gather over the wind-swept fields of grain. The demon about to possess the scarecrow. Moving, effective stuff.
I’d been listening to a lot of Teardrop Explodes Kilimanjaro recently (clearly one of my all-time favorite “desert island discs”) so that probably put me into the perfect mind frame to absorb this sonic delight by Andrew Gharib. Not that Andrew apes Julian Cope in any way, but the music of Animal Confession carries with it a similar post-punk, darkly psychedelic bent on the world. To that Andrew adds some serious guitar crunch a la industrial rock, and a serious helping of pop smarts. Not to mention an immediately gripping voice. Yep, I was hooked.
“A Thousand Lies,” is the first cut I heard from Andrew and seems to be the one I go back to the most often. Recently, I’d spouted off on the glory of Jet Black Berries new album Postmodern Ghosts and the lead-off single, “God with a Gun.” Here’s the flip side of a perfect compilation mix. With its charging guitar opening breaking away to a chiming, hypnotic guitar verse, “A Thousand Lies,” is near-perfection in 3:55. Big melody, a throw-your-hands-up-in-the-air and sing along chorus. A mighty crunch and a dark sinister atmosphere. Beautifully done. I can listen to this song on repeat and never get tired of it. Always some new nook or cranny to explore.
“Drown in You,” ups the distortion and heaviness, while also releasing itself to some exquisite slower passages. I think the word here is dynamic, and “Drown in You,” has that in spades. Echoes of NIN drift amongst the floating menacing psychedelia. “Light my Way,” meanwhile kicks off with an echo reverb guitar reminiscent of U2 and loses itself from there into a maelstrom of sacrificing emotion. It’s not everyday I find a songsmith who can capture me so quickly.
With Animal Confession we’ve found a new talent of the dark and mysterious. A new Trent Rezner? Time will tell, but Animal Confession proves that Andrew Gharib is certainly one to watch.
I gotta tell you. I’m a little tired of a lot of what passes for punk these days. Whiny vocals, layered guitars, wimpy lyrics. That ain’t the punk rock I know.
Which is why a band like Pacer is so refreshing. No strings. No horns. No mention of the word love or hurt feelings. Pacer bring it on fast, pure, energized, and brimming with spit and polish. This is good, old-fashioned punk. Guitars with three chords, played amazingly fast with aggression and intent; A bass that runs like a maniac being chased by the police, and a drum set taking a beating like it owed money to the mob.
Add a good oi sensibility, some suitably gruff and impassioned vocals and I’m all in. “Circles Around a Square,” is an in-your-face opener that could instantly make you regret standing too close to the clubs sounds system. “Pasternak,” is pure oi punk, charging and racing like a gang of hoodlums off to wreck havoc at a football game.
On top of all this pure punk adrenaline, the lads temper the affair with some mighty chops and true songwriting craft, keeping a melodic/pop leaning to the affair. But don’t clump them in with Green Day. Pacer never forget the punk in pop-punk. Great pogoing stuff.
It wasn’t that long ago that I was praising The Silver Liners last Ep, Just Like the Rest, a catchy batch of melodic punk indy pop. Now the boys come charging back with another blast of refreshing and down-right captivating agit-pop. And if anything, the time between releases has allowed the lads to bring their songwriting up a whole ‘nother notch.
Bringing back two songs (“Just like the Rest,” and “Without a Face”) from the last EP, the Silver Liners drop in 4 new songs and package the whole thing together in a way that just seems to scream, “Here we are!” Leaving the EP self-titled echoes that sentiment. For the Silver Liners this is their statement of who they are.
And who is that you ask? A damn fine guitar-driven pop band who churn out melodies as effortlessly as I stumble over cracks in the sidewalk. “ Running Through My Head,” with its acoustic intro, infectious groove, and irresistible verse leading to a sweet-as-sugar chorus, is just one example of the way these cats can craft with the best of em.
“Hot Mess,” keeps the heartbeat ticking with an aggressive verse diving into another heavenly-sent chorus, never losing the chops or the muscle. Touches of pure power pop infect “American Girl,” while “Better Than Your Boyfriend,” only needs a quirky video to shoot this one to the top of the YouTube charts. With it’s irresistible chorus, you’ll be singing this one for months to come. Should be a radio mainstay. The Silver Liners are clearly a band on the rise.
--Racer
