Robyn Writes

Review: Scouts – Why Do My Friends Have To Live Around Here

From the title, you’d think that Why Do My Friends Have To Live Around Here would be an extremely self-deprecating snark fest. However, Scouts have come up with a much better idea, and instead, WDMYFTLAH is a gloriously life-affirming punk rock singalong with plenty of heart and mind.

Alright, it’s a tiny bit self-deprecating. ‘Please Don’t Take Me Back To North Shore’ is a little bit snarky, but it’s layered in punchy rhythms, strong and commanding vocals from Bobby Pook and Paul Barrow and puts them in the same kind of league as Latterman or Small Brown Bike with the kind of melody they’re just throwing at you. Although even with comparisons to said American stalwarts, it’s definitely a localised EP – if you’re from the North West, you might just recognise a few scenes. Scouts are decent storytellers and it’s easy to get swept away in the picture they’re painting – but with guitars and really gruff vocals, not actual paint, yeah? ‘Every Day In A New Way’ covers the bleakness of a town that’s just not getting any better, and it makes you want to shout along with it, no matter where you’re from. ‘Superstoker’ is reminiscent of Polar Bear Club’s first (and best) album, but with a keener, more British edge – and better drums. ‘Kensington Streets’ is a slow burner, but it’s infectious and even though the EP ends on a slightly melancholy note, the atmosphere built up in the final few minute is not only testament to the band’s fantastic talent, but to their ability to leave you feeling completely uplifted despite the tone of the track.

Although far more serious than Pook’s usual band, Me Vs Hero, the new Scouts EP is far deeper and far more involving, and therein lies the greater reward. If you like your punk rock to be smart, involving and inventive, then Scouts might just become your new favourite band.

4.5 out of 5 high fives!

State of affairs – August 2013

Hey everyone!

Quick note about updates this month. TBO will be operating on a reduced schedule at the moment. We’ll still be updating Wednesdays and Sundays (when I’m less of an idiot and remember to update it) but there’ll be a bit less stuff – probably just one article at a time. The reason being that I’m currently finishing my masters degree and it’s crunch time with regards to my final project. That’s going to get handed at the start of September, so we’ll be back to normal and more by then!

Thanks a bunch, everyone, for continuing to support us. You’re all wonderful, beautiful people.

xoxo – Robyn

Review: CB6 – Succession

Recorded in just five days last year at Bucks University, Succession is a debut borne out of passion, frustration and dedication. All of these have come together to deliver a solid, confident release that will no doubt put the band straight on the radar.

Given CB6’s young age (although the band initially formed when they were 11), it’s heartwarming to see some of the most well loved musical trends of the early 00s sneaking into their music and blending in perfectly with a hearty 90s thrash influence and hardcore fire. There’s little hints of nu-metal all over the place, from the layered vocals in ‘Illusion’ to the heavily effects laden instrumental that is ‘Penny’, but when the boys need to throw down, there’s no doubt about it. Opening track ‘Perfect’ is a tightly wound riff fest and Ryan Monteith’s vocals, not quite a growl but not quite a shout, complement that well, and ‘Elephant In The Room’ is a complete mosh anthem. Not completely constrained by genre sensibilities, there’s a lot of melody infused throughout too. ‘Cold Season’ combines all of the best elements of CB6 in one glorious bitesized chunk, and in closer ‘Eye Of The Magpie’, the chorus is a complete game changer, displaying a keen and confident talent.

What CB6 do well, they do very well. But there’s an overreliance on chugging riffs and repetitive structure that really starts to rear its head by the second half of the record. The same Pantera-esque sounds begin to dominate the record, and while they’re great for a while, it definitely becomes tiresome. Perhaps Succession would have worked well split over two EPs instead of a single record where it would be less apparent, but even so, it’s a record that shows a lot of potential, and with some relentless touring, the band will be capturing the attention of hardcore fans all over the country.

3.5 out of 5 high fives!

Ten Hardcore Bands That Do Actually Get It

I posted an article last week about misogyny in hardcore and just the general lack of respect for fellow human beings that’s running rampant throughout the scene at the moment. There’s certainly a lot of that going on. In honesty, my piece refers mostly to the mainstream – the branch of particularly popular hardcore bands that are dominating the magazines and the social networks at the moment. There’s a lot of bands out there that aren’t subscribing to this at all, that are striving for a community again, that are promoting a very healthy attitude at shows and through their music. Loosely based around the hardcore genre, but with a smattering of punk and metalcore, this is just ten of those bands promoting a better future for the scene. There’s a few more mainstream and a few more underground acts here, and these are the people we should be throwing our weight behind.

1) Finish Him!
Our favourite Coventry partycore lot know what’s going down. A Finish Him! show is always a ridiculously fun experience for everyone – everyone gets involved, everyone keeps each other safe. You’re far more likely to end the set in a massive group hug than with a punch in the face (although that’s mostly just to keep yourself standing after some intense moshing!). And many of their song names are references to classic kid’s shows and video games, which is always a bonus.

2) We Came As Romans
Everyone’s new favourite synthy metalcore band, they don’t have a bad word to say about anyone. Their albums are all about positivity, and their recent slot on the Take Action tour in support of the ‘It Gets Better’ campaign couldn’t paint them as any more angelic. If you’re ever feeling down, listen to Understanding What We Came To Be and you’ll instantly feel better about life.

3) Parkway Drive
Okay, ‘Romance Is Dead’ might be about wanting to choke the life out of a former loved one, but we can all say we’ve had those moments at one point or another. Otherwise, Parkway Drive take their anger out on more noble causes, such as our rampant destruction of the Earth. Atlas is all about the potential demise of our planet if we don’t buck up our ideas. Parkway are also massive fans of the circlepit, but only if you treat each other with respect. And we will, Winston and co, we will.

4) iwrestledabearonce
Ever been to an IWABO show? You’re doing yourself a disservice if you haven’t. Me and Kate threw many a pencil sharpener and a few egg and spoons the last time we were in the general vicinity. It’s also super rad to see such an incredible female vocalist in play in both cases – Krysta’s screams were utterly sublime and I figured there’d never be anyone who could replace her, but Courtney has done pretty admirably, bringing just as much flair and insanity to their live presence as Krysta did. It’s pretty hard to make out exactly what they’re saying though sometimes, so pick up a lyrics booklet and appreciate.

5) The Smoking Hearts
Victory! is a great record. It’s a real snapshot of life in the 2010s, but without subscribing to the bullshit. There’s plenty of stuff in there about standing up tall and rising above, but THS aren’t afraid to party on down with the rabble either. Sick guitar solos aside, THS bring it in every way possible in a live format, but while being perfectly pleasant to everyone around them. Top lads.

6) Sick Of It All
Have you ever listened to a Sick Of It All album and thought ‘well, I can see where they’re coming from but I just can’t identify with this in any way, shape or form’? I thought not.

7) DARKO
Skatepunk enthusiasts DARKO blend the Duracell bunny energy of that 90s sound with technical hardcore for an unbeatable thrill ride. From Trust To Conformity has a lot of anger and frustration in it, but it’s pointed in all the right directions, and a lot more poetic than you might first think. Get listening, get excited.

8) Attack! Vipers!
I literally can’t express my love for Attack! Vipers! enough. Completely standup guys with an explosive live show (high risk of human pyramids included) and stupidly talented musicians to boot. Feeling bad about popular hardcore and its shitty attitude? Have a scroll through the Attack! Vipers! Tumblr page and you’ll see posts speaking out against discrimination and injustice, in the scene and wider. Great stuff.

9) Empire
Shedding Skin is a slice of crashing, beautiful melodic hardcore. The desolate landscapes that it describes and the feelings of discontent and fear are ones that are applicable to all of us. Back in the early 2000s, most of the bands doing this kind of thing were writing songs crying about how girls had wronged them. Empire take a far different approach and we love them for it.

10) Not Right
Definitely more punk than hardcore, but it’d feel wrong to write a piece about solidarity and community without including Not Right. Queer riot grrl noise with a focus on trans issues, general activism and, in their own words, “the politic of people before profit”. And well, they definitely play loud and fast enough to fit in on this list.

Review: Hampshire – Two Trains [EP]

The latest EP from Detroit natives Hampshire is, quite frankly, a masterpiece. If you wanted to stop reading now and just go to buy the record from their Bandcamp at a name-your-price rate (or on cassette, if that’s your thing), then you could do. I’d recommend it, and then you’d get to experience it like I did; no preconceptions, no expectations, absolutely no idea what you’re about to hear. What I did hear was nothing short of amazing.

For those of you not ready to take the plunge without a few guiding words, Two Trains is a deep and involving record. Since their inception in 2008, Hampshire have carefully been working on developing a layered and emotionally complex sound that truly comes to fruition in Two Trains. In some ways, it is like if Saves The Day and Brand New got together and had a freaky little lovechild, but it’s also extremely accomplished and stands apart from its influences. Thankfully, they’ve picked up that penchant for great lyrics from that scene, and Two Trains is a pleasure to lose yourself in, to feel yourself wrapped up in love and loss and growth and life but in a way you can never quite phrase yourself. That same evocative nature feeds right into the musicality of the EP. ‘Windows’ is melancholic yet highly inventive in its approach, with some creepy, hair-raising screams in the chorus backing the main vocals. The harmonies in ‘I Want To Deafen Your Ears’ are soaring, beautiful vocal arrangements. Hampshire aren’t afraid of a little variety either. The first two songs of the EP are the heaviest, but in ‘Let Down’, they start to embrace a slightly poppier edge, almost Inkwell-esque. The range that Hampshire display while still being faithful to their own voice is fantastic – and the completely balls-to-the-wall guitar solo at the end just validates that. To say that Two Trains is a serious record isn’t remiss, but they know how to inject just enough lightness so that it doesn’t completely weigh you down. And at the end of the journey, in ‘Waiting Game’, the record builds to a crashing crescendo, leaving a marked impression.

We need more music like this. Forget Warped Tour; get into something with a little more bite. Get into Hampshire.

5 out of 5 high fives!