Mr. P. Reviews Dope Music
The Sons of James Release New Single: “Against My Will”
“Against My Will” by The Sons of James follows the musical path in the two previous singles I reviewed “Boswell” and “All They Told You” i.e. a mix of Pennywise, No Use for a Name and other Fat/Epitaph bands and would have been a standout band on either label’s well known compilations.
Smile Deadly Releases New Single: “Forgiven Me”
Smile Deadly plays punk rock that speaks to their name.
Scooped Up Release New Single: “Slingshot”
This is another solid angsty pop punk song about the troubles of being alive.
The Bad Actors Release New Single: “Nothing Comes to Mind”
The Bad Actors new single, “Nothing Comes to Mind”, is a power pop tune for the whole family. It has that 50s/60s rock single sound mixed with some early Elvis Costello topped off with just a dose of pop punk.
Flashover Releases New Song: “Follow the Leader”
For whatever reason I just fucking dig it because they do it right!
Dreaded Laramie Release New Single: “Break Up Songs”
Call them power pop, call them pop punk, just make sure you call them fucking awesome too.
Abstract Releases Folk Punk Single: Up Yet!
We all know the story. Punk rocker gets old, puts down electric guitar and picks up acoustic to become a folk punk troubadour: Tim Barry, Chuck Ragan, Tony Sly, Dave Hause, Frank Turner, etc., but this may be the first time I’ve known of a hip-hop artist putting down his beats and changing up spitting out dope ass flow to playing acoustic guitar while singing pop punk melodies.
The Flatnoise Release New Single: “Misunderstood”
There are a lot of folk punk artists out there, and I love a lot of them and have released an album with four of them, but it’s a little odd to have a folk punk ensemble. I dig this for sure. It’s got all the elements of pop punk but overlayed with folk guitar melodies.
Tornādo Tornädo Release New Single: “Splinter Alone”
As you all know if you read my blog, I’m picky about my pop punk. Whether it’s the clapping in the middle or just the vocal delivery that reminds me a little of Atom and His Package, but this band made my pop punk cut.
Windley Releases New Single: “Uno Mas”
So as I say this next statement keep in mind that I enjoy the Menzingers, but I’m not a fanatic and don’t own a single album by them: This band is way better than the Menzingers (Sorry Jason—He’s my best bud that loves the Menzingers).
Escape Velocity Provide a Fast, Melodic Does of Hardcore Mixed Metal and Pop Punk
In specific, their song “Violence and Vanity” has the sound of a band that could have been on early Fat Wreck Chords comps with bands like No Use For A Name, Lagwagon or Strung Out that were fast paced pop punk with elements of metal that just made them sick to skate board to.
Discord Theory Hid From Me Right in Plain Sight: But I See You Now!
Hailing from Tampa this band has been bringing the post hardcore mixed with pop punk and more to the west coast of Florida for years. As many of you know I just moved away from Orlando, Fl after 15 years, so I wasn’t there when my buds at Montgomery Drive booked them at Will’s Pub in July. The real question is why I haven’t seen them before I left? Were they not in Orlando sooner? Did I know go to Tampa enough? Why weren’t they on Florida Underground Fest? They damn well should be next year!
Goodbye Sunshine Lit Up My Day with Their New Album: People Will Like You When You Stop Being Yourself
Whether you’re a nearly 50 year old punk like me who loves to be taken back to the glory days of Lookout Records with bands like Screaching Weasel, The Mr. T Experience, The Queers, The Riverdales, The Donnas i.e. any other pop punk band with Ramonescore overtones or if you’re a recent convert to the oooh aaaahs and joy of pogoing in your room to “happy” sounding tunes with lyrics that are often more sardonic or acerbic than joyful, then this newest release by Goodbye Sunshine, People Will Like You When You Stop Being Yourself, is for you! (That is one long ass sentence. Hmmm Hemmingway might be proud…of course Faulkner would scoff at the insignificance of my word count).
From The Other Side’s Newest Single, “Toxic Heart”, melds pop punk and melodic metal in all the right ways!
You mention Australia to someone and ask them to name a band, most will say AC/DC and then depending on their age they might say Men at Work or Silverchair or if they are a punk like me they might mention The Saints, Frenzal Rhomb or A Living End (I played a sick show with them in 2004 in DC), but nobody would mention From the Other Side….yet. Give it time. I’m trying to decide if their name is because they are on the other side of the world…at least from my northern hemisphere perspective, if they are fans of Fallout Boy or if they love the soundtrack and movie Greatest Showman. I’ll accept either as a viable answer.
Rebels in Stereo’s Newest Single an Anthem for Survivors and Thrivers!
Maybe it’s the former middle school teacher in me or the father of two teens that made me connect with this song right away. I don’t have the full story, nor do I think I need to in order to feel the emotion of the song. From the song and the press release, I know that the singer’s cousin was attacked and “had to fight for her life” and during her recovery lost her mother. And yet this 15 year old managed to push through and thrive. This song is in her honor. I share this because I dug the song at first listen, without context, with context, it’s the sort of song I hope my daughters would rock out to while hoping that they avoid the same strife. With that being said, I also hope that they’d handle it as well as Lacey.