Robyn Writes

Lazy Bear Records’ Definitive Guide To Pop-Punk 2011

Lazy Bear Records, established earlier this year, have fast become one of pop-punk’s most valiant champions. The label declare themselves as a ‘pop-punk label’ and their dedication to the cause is simply magnificent. Not content with just showcasing some of Britain’s best new music, the label have also spawned a charity minded clothing company which regularly donates part of their profits to the Hauser Bears charity, which aids the conservation of bears worldwide. Isn’t that lovely?!

What’s also lovely is the fact that on the first of December, they’re releasing a digital compilation showcasing the best of British pop-punk. Featuring both well established bands as well as new up-and-coming ones, the compilation is absolutely brilliant. You may have seen several of these bands support your favourites recently. If you haven’t, you probably soon will, if not seeing them take centre stage. And best of all? It’s totally free.

Although the track listing is being kept pretty undercover, I can reveal to you a few of my favourite tracks and why you should be listening to these bands if you aren’t already!

The Headstart – Make Or Break
The Headstart are firm favourites at TBO – just check out the interview we did with them in September. Absolutely fantastic guys with a firm dedication to their fans, and the songs are even better. Imagine old school New Found Glory with a hint of Blink 182 and their own personal flavour. The song featured on the compilation, Make Or Break, isn’t on their debut EP, so if you don’t already have this song, this is the perfect opportunity to check it out (and then buy the EP because it’s rad)! Some great gang vocals, cheeky lyrics and general reckless abandon ahoy.

Highrise – No Hope In Happiness
Well. Not going to lie, this was a surprise. Highrise are from my hometown in the Midlands and have been going for a few years, but have really come into their own this year with the addition of Thom Parry to the fold. Combining influences like Brand New, Deaf Havana and Fightstar, the band have an anthemic and atmospheric sound whilst still retaining that party hard spirit. No Hope In Happiness is definitely more akin to Deaf Havana in its use of clean/scream vocals and equally impassioned, but feels a lot more intimate than recent DH offerings. Pretty bitter lyrics though; don’t listen if you’re feeling fragile, no matter how good those gang vocals at the end are!

Fine Young Firecrackers – Landslide
Fine Young Firecrackers are a completely new discovery for me. Landslide has got one of the catchiest choruses I’ve heard this year as well as some of my new favourite lines. Again, more great gang vocals – these bands all clearly have some major New Found Glory influences – as well as some awesome riffs. Their sound is also a bit reminiscent of The Movielife, which is pretty convenient because they’re playing a show with I Am The Avalanche soon! I can’t wait to hear some more from these guys.

Of course, there’s an absolute plethora of fantastic new bands on this compilation. Every song is a winner and these are just a few of my favourites. Do yourself a favour, head on over to www.lazybearrecords.co.uk on 1st December, download the comp and get into the scene. The US may be winning at the moment, but the UK has more than enough to offer, and Lazy Bear are doing their very best to introduce you to its finest.

Stained Ashes – Funeral In Fire [EP]

Stained Ashes are a four piece metal band operating out of Florida. The band was originally the solo project of singer Brandon Turner until recruiting his fellow band members after completing his first record. In Brandon’s own words, “We had talked a bunch of smack (unwisely of us) and we had to come up with 7 songs in a month and a half so that we didn’t look like idiots after talking big”, so the first EP as a band, Funeral In Fire, was put together three months after the band had come together. Ever eager for more sweet tunes, I checked out the record to see what I can find.

The EP as a whole has a very rock and roll feel to it, as well as being steeped in Avenged Sevenfold style riffs and breakdowns. It’s as if Guns And Roses, Avenged Sevenfold and Every Time I Die had a clusterfuck and out of that strange and twisted orgy, this was born. First track Born To Lose is right in there with that punch-you-in-the-face feel, starting out on some pretty heavy screams. The screams themselves are pretty good, but having two different unclean styles and then clean vocals on top seems rather fragmented, and would probably be better kept to one screamer or style – as it sounds like two completely different vocalists – and then clean. Either way, the chorus is memorable and has some great backing behind it. The Fallen is similar, but with heavier vocals and faster drums, as well as an interesting lyrical paradox – if in The Fallen, he’s got nothing to lose, then how could he be born to lose in the first song? I’m going to be honest, the lyrics aren’t the centrepiece of this EP. They’re not as bad as some we’ve encountered (hello latest Bullet For My Valentine album!) but they’re not going to win any prizes. However, guitarist Charlie Howell might. There are some seriously brilliant solos and riffs on this album. The A7X influence is clear, but he makes it all his own.

My favourite track of the EP, In The Crowd, has a completely epic build up, going from slow burning melodic strumming to rocking solo with a bit of fuzz in between. Brandon has a fantastic voice and this track showcases it best. It also shows a bit more variety than a couple of the other tracks on the EP – while they all sound great, a few tracks are also quite similar to each other. In comparison to the other tracks, This Is Not A Vacation seems a bit superfluous. It’s well put together, but sounds almost exactly the same as its predecessor, The Fallen, which on the whole is a much better track.

Closing track, Eyes, is an absolute blinder of a song. It completely caught me unawares and shows the band as completely multi-faceted songwriters. It utilises some more interesting effects than previous songs and has a fantastic breakdown. The hardcore influence in this song works really well for the band and possibly as a pretty big hardcore fan, swings it for me as one of the best songs on offer here. It’s the longest track on the EP, but none of it sounds unnecessary, none of it bores. The mix of clean vocals and screams works best on this song, with some of Brandon’s growls sounding so pained and raw. Awesome stuff.

The production of the EP is astounding. The vocals don’t overshadow the music, the guitar and drums are perfectly balanced and the bass provides a solid backing. For a first full band effort, the EP is very impressive. I wouldn’t be too surprised if they were appearing in your local rock magazine any time soon, and if their live sets live up to their reputation (Brandon described themselves as having “the energetic stage show of early punk bands – dressing up, blood tablets, breaking guitars, throwing drum sets around, etc”) then you certainly shouldn’t hesitate to get on the road and see them create some chaos!

4 out of 5 high fives!

Interview with Octane OK, 1/11/11

Octane OK – O2 Academy Birmingham 2, 1/11/11

It’s safe to say that Octane OK are moving along at a positively astronomical rate. It was just over a year ago that we saw them open for Kill Hannah in the very same room that they played in last night, and here they are with a headline slot. The ‘So Alive’ tour is their biggest one yet, with several dates sold out all over the country. But here’s the question – are Octane OK worth all the hype?

After a guest list debacle and some new found friends, we found ourselves halfway through Escaping Vendetta‘s set. The highlight of their set was a fantastic cover of Rihanna’s ‘S&M’, but sadly, their own material was lacking. It’s not like either component – the vocals and the music – are bad, as proven by the cover. However, they’re not writing songs that compliment each other and as a result, their current output is a bit like a mediocre car crash, the sort that entails a light bump to the wing mirror – just not worth the hassle.

Following them were Nine Day Lane. While the band showed a hell of a lot of potential, it was clear that they needed a lot more practise. However, I guess a few more support slots in a venue like that will give them the perfect opportunity! In particular, their vocalist slipped a fair bit with his guitar – transitions weren’t as smooth as they should have been, breakdowns weren’t as tight as they could have been, but I think a fair amount of that was attributed to playing and singing at the same time. It’s certainly something I struggle with at times. I’d like to see them again in a few months and see if they’ve tightened up a bit, as their big sounding pop-punk anthems could be potentially very awesome.

No Lights At Lockdown looked like they’d had a Topshop spending spree this weekend. The band looked far more like a boyband than a credible rock band. Nearly every band tonight was firmly rooted in sweeping pop-punk tunes and No Lights At Lockdown were no different. However, No Lights At Lockdown were a bit tepid in comparison. The band are very well practised, but there’s no depth to it. So maybe the boyband comparison is more relevant than first impressions dictate. While there was technically nothing wrong with what they were doing, it wasn’t quite up to par with their tourmates’ output. Nothing really stood out in their set. Nice background music, though. Maybe it’d work well on a British teen soap or something.

Dublin’s very own Jody Has A Hitlist were the proverbial breath of fresh air tonight. From their highly tongue in cheek merchandise to their on stage nipple banter, they weren’t playing by the rules and it’s bloody wonderful to see. Despite being beleaguered with keyboard issues (ie the levels were horrendous and we heard no keys until the last three songs), they sounded fantastic. While most of the acts last night were very saccharine, very upbeat, Jody Has A Hitlist occasionally take a darker turn, with some great breakdowns and collaborative vocals. One of Lava’s favourites in the brief time the channel was running, Jody Has A Hitlist are going to go far. Just keep watching.

And finally, after a mammoth support roster, Octane OK themselves took to the stage. It’s very clear that they are no longer the same band that tentatively stepped onto the Academy stage all those months ago. The songs are tighter, without losing their incredibly catchy edge. The performance is more energetic and far more interactive, now that they have such a dedicated fan base. The entire band effortlessly ooze rockstar cool, even though there’s far less v-necks on display this time around. It’s also clear to see that the band have worked incredibly hard to get to where they are and to perfect their performance – everything went off without a hitch, and while that was the case last year, they looked so much more in command. And they’re a lot of fun! Octane OK’s particular brand of pop-punk works so well live; it gets people off their feet and having a great time. The new electronic touches add a layer of depth to the music that weren’t there, and although it’s hardly Year Zero, it’s definitely an interesting addition. Octane OK were nominated for the Kerrang! Best British Newcomer award this year, and although they lost out in the end, tonight’s show proves that they are definitely worthy of that title. And I never liked Asking Alexandria anyway.

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Yo!

I’ve had the craziest week. But I’m editing videos, writing reviews and they’re gonna be up this weekend. Sweet.

xoxo – Ripper