Christ On Parade (80s Punk for fans of Millions of Dead Cops, The Faction, Verbal Abuse)

Nothing gets the old heart ticking like some 80's peace punk. Christ On Parade hailed out of Cali, and played punk rock in the veins of Millions of Dead Cops. The songs were fast and incorporated a lot of early hardcore, while still remaining incredibly catchy. Definitely check it out.

MP3:
Christ on Parade - Flash
Christ on Parade - Landlord Song

More articles that deserve a damn parade:
Violent Society Haiku
I-Spy
Minor Threat (The Best Band Ian MacKaye was in)

Buy:
Amazon

Nofx - The War on Errorism (For fans of Pennywise, Dillinger Four, Guttermouth)

Wow, I have not listened to NOFX's "War On Errorism" in years, so it was pretty random that I had quite the urge to listen to it this morning. The first album where NOFX really tackles politics head on (in their own special way of course), WOE has everything you would expect from NOFX. Of course, you probably already own this... so how about showing it some love for the first time in like 5 years?

MP3:
NOFX - We Got Two Jealous Agains
NOFX - American Errorist

More Articles:
SNFU Haiku
The Soviettes LP
NOFX - Punk In Drublic

Buy:
Fat Wreck

Embrace: Ian Mackaye's Band Between Minor Threat and Fugazi

Everyone and their grandmother knows about Fugazi, just like everyone and their grandfather knows about Minor Threat... But only your weird ass cousin knows about MacKaye's in between band, Embrace.

Embrace was very short lived (1985 to 1986), but did create one hell of an album. The music could best be described like the band itself: somewhere between Minor Threat and Fugazi. The songs are nowhere near as heavy as Minor Threat, but definitely more straight forward than anything Fugazi ever put out.

My second favorite band involving Ian MacKaye, definitely check it out.

MP3:
Embrace - Money
Embrace - Dance of Days

Embrace these Housewives articles:
Ian MacKaye's Best Band
Fugazi vs. Atom and His Package

Buy:
Dischord

SNFU Haiku (For fans of Satanic Surfers, Deviates, NOFX)

Catchy Solid Skate Punk
Completely Shredding Shit Up
I Swore! Won't Catch Fish!

Mp3:
SNFU - Cockatoo Quill
SNFU - Step Stranger

Other Haikus:
Riverboat Gambler Haiku (For fans of Bouncing Souls)
Greedy Guts (For fans of SNFU)
Crucial Unit (For fans of Municipal Waste)
Blanks 77

Buy:
Interpunk

Grey Area - S/T (For fans of Lifetime, Kid Dynamite, 7 Seconds)

Wow, just wow. I can't even begin to state how much Grey Area completely blows me away. Grey Area plays punk rock somewhere between Lifetime and Kid Dynamite, with the songs being fast, melodic and anthematic.

While listening to the album, I couldn't help but grin the entire time, it's some of the most solid music I've heard in a looooong time. Definitely check Grey Area out!


Also check out:
Grey Area with Bouncing Souls live
The Steal
Kid Dynamite
Higher Giant w/Strike Anywhere and Paint It Black

Buy:
Grey Area

Star Fucking Hipsters (For fans of Leftover Crack, Morning Glory, Bouncing Souls)

Star Fucking Hipsters have been getting a lot of unfair criticism simply because it is Scott Sturgeon's (aka. Stza) side project, and ever since he got arrested for uhhh... throwing doughnuts at cops, people have been looking down on all his bands. Love him or hate him, the man makes some solid music, and Star Fucking Hipsters are no exception. With their debut "Until We're Dead" scheduled for release on September 30th, it's definitely a solid album you want to pick up.

While Star Fucking Hipsters are probably going to be pinned as "just another crack rock steady band", their sound is much more dynamic then that family of bands. The songs overall are mid-tempo and anthematic, and are sure as hell catchy.

The lyrical matter is what we're used to with Scott's other projects, but they seem much more heartfelt (could be because SFH aren't out to shock people, unlike his other bands)... well except for "9/11 Was An Inside Joke". Co-vocalist Nico de Gallo adds another dynamic as well, with her softer, yet still punk as hell vocals complementing Sturg's.

Oh yeah, and they get maaaaaad props for mixing punk and baroque (as in Bach and Handel) on "Two Cups of Tea".

MP3:
Star Fucking Hipsters - Two Cups of Tea
Star Fucking Hipsters - Immigrants and Hypocrites

Star Fucking Articles:
Bach: The Godfather of Punk Rock
Morning Glory (For fans of LoC, Choking Victim, INDK)
Bouncing Souls w/Grey Area Live In Philly
No Cash (For fans of Leftover Crack, Choking Victim)

Buy:
Fat Wreck

The Bouncing Souls w/Grey Area live in Philadelphia (9/21/08)

The Bouncing Souls have always been my favorite band, with their anthems that I carried as my own back when I was an angsty teenager 9 years ago, all the way through now, where I carry their as my own as an angsty adult.

I wound up showing up a little late, but I got in the large, yet intimate Starlight ballroom right when Everybody Out! was finishing up, which is a shame because from what I heard in those 3 minutes was awesome (very Street Dogs / The Business influenced).

Grey Area

I've heard nothing but good things about the melodic hardcore band Grey Area, and last night, they proved that all these things said about them are completely true. Playing melodic hardcore somewhere between Lifetime and Kid Dynamite, Grey Area had constant stage dives, pile-ons, and slam dancing going on through the entire set. Although I previously never heard any of their music, I felt like I was a life long fan last night.

Bouncing Souls

Now, I've seen the Bouncing Souls well over 10 times, yet before they took the stage, I still got as gleeful as the first time I saw them back in 2003. This was the most intimate atmosphere I'd ever seen them (aka. no barricades in front of the stage), and I was looking forward to see the constant stage dives and raw energy that were completely inevitable.

Keeping true to the (new found) tradition, Bruce Springsteen's "Born To Run" blasted over the intercom before the Souls took stage... with everyone (ok... me and a few more) singing along (what can I say, I'm a Jersey kid). Jumping straight into "East Coast Fuck You" the Bouncing Souls unleashed the crowd into a complete frenzy. This pretty much continued throughout the entire set, until they got to the acoustic part, where things calmed down a bit. Playing more acoustic songs than usual, the slower paced music actually worked well for the envirornment. Definitely the best Souls show I've been to since the first time I ever saw them.

Setlist from what I can remember (not it order):
East Coast Fuck You
Sing Along Forever
Kid
Joe Lies (When He Cries)
Here We Go
Lean on Sheena
Headlights Ditch (acoustic)
Anchors Aweigh (acoustic)
Gone (acoustic)
New Song (sounded pretty solid, stoked to see what they're gonna release)
Hopeless Romantic
Highway Kings
The Ballad of Johnny X
Kate is Great
The Gold Song
Lay Em Down, Smack Em, Yack Em
True Believers
Private Radio
Kids and Heroes
Night On Earth (acoustic)

MP3:
The Bouncing Souls - Highway Kings
The Bouncing Souls - Headlights Ditch!

Other Housewives Souls Articles:
The Bouncing Souls "Worst" Album
Bouncing Souls Split Series
Battle: Bouncing Souls vs Band of Horses!
Bouncing Souls Home for the Holidays
Bouncing Souls and Lifetime

Buy:
Official Site
Grey Area

Municipal Waste - Hazardous Mutations (For fans of DRI, Bones Brigade, Cro-Mags)

"If I can't fuck shit up, I don't want to live", taken from Municipal Waste's song "Blood Drive" pretty much sums up the band in one sentence. Richmond's Municipal Waste are the gods of modern crossover thrash, and no one plays it better than these drunks, as proven on "Hazardous Mutations".

The songs are sloppy, fast, and sound like they came straight out of 1986 (with much better production). With titles like "The Thrashin of Christ" and "Abusement Park", you can't help but laugh along as Municipal Waste brings you on a tour through a desolate city overrun by zombies (the main subject of the album).

Like the zombies they sing about, Municipal Waste resurrected a genre that everyone previously thought was dead, and brought crossover thrash to a whole new generation.

MP3:
Municipal Waste - Blood Drive
Municipal Waste - Unleash The Bastards

More Articles To Thrash Your Face:
Municipal Waste Haiku
D.R.I - The Godfathers of Crossover Thrash
Kids Like Us

Buy:
Earache Records

Best 4 Stand Up Comedians

Punks! Take a break from the revolution for a minute, you're looking a little too down. Give yourself a good laugh!

4. Mitch Hedburg
Probably the most awkward mofo on stage, Mitch was known for his unconventional joke style (one liners and damn all transition to hell). Brings observational humor to a whole new level.


3. Jim Gaffigan
The only man who can take an entire set and revolve it around food, laziness, and generally being a fat slob... and still be completely hilarious.


2. Bill Hicks
Sadly, Bill is relatively unknown due to his untimely death at age 32, but this man completely revolutionized comedy. Bringing his scathing (sometimes uncontrollable) social commentary to stand up comedy, Hicks influenced many, including George Carlin, Lewis Black, and Dennis Leary (who some actually said stole Bill's act.)


1. George Carlin
Hands down the master of comedy.

The Steal (For fans of Kid Dynamite, Good Clean Fun, 7 Seconds)

(The Steal as tourists)

Holy crap, the reason I haven't posted on these guys is because I seriously thought I did already, like a year ago. Joke's on me!

Possibly the most energetic and positive band to hail from the UK, The Steal plays punk rock/melodic hardcore in the veins of Kid Dynamite and 7 Seconds. Many bands will try to carry the torch of their predecessors, but The Steal sprints with the damned thing.

The Steal manages to make the songs positive and meaningful without taking themselves too seriously, something that 90% of punk bands should be taking notes on. Definitely give it a listen, and if they ever are near you live (I'm talking to you "God Save The Queen-ers") go check them out.

MP3:
The Steal - New Friend
The Steal - Wonderstuff

More Kickass Articles That Will Prepare You For The Revolution:
New Mexican Disaster Squad Breaks Up!
Static Radio NJ
Kid Dynamite and The Art of Moshing Everywhere
Good Clean Fun Haiku
Paint It Black - New Lexicon

Buy:
The Steal

Guilty Pleasure: Fenix TX (For fans of Old Blink 182, Green Day, Old Sum 41)

Back in 1999, when I was just an awkward 14 yr. old (as opposed to being an awkward adult now), I was (unfortunately) working for Satan (aka. McDonalds). I specifically remember getting some kid who had a cable connection (most were still using dial-up still) to hop on Napster and download me Fenix TX's "Self Titled" album (until we got our paycheck of COURSE).

I loved the album back then, and I still love the album 9 years later (even though I never got into their later stuff). Playing old school Blink 182 style pop-punk (Have you noticed that I like parenthesis?), Fenix TX's S/T may be considered a guilty pleasure, but I definitely have no shame.


Other Middle School Pop-Punk You Should Be Ashamed Of:
MxPx: Kicking It Old School
My Not So Guilty Pleasure: Blink 182
Blink 182 - Greatest Hits
Saves The Day

Buy:
Fenix Tx

Monday Morning Ant Brigades

I know I've already done this as long time readers will know... but today is one of those days where you seriously feel like you're going to stab anyone who threatens to turn on the lights.

Another Monday Morning Ant Brigade.

MP3:
Bouncing Souls - Monday Morning Ant Brigade

More Articles to Love:
The Bouncing Souls "Worst" Album
Riverboat Gamblers Haiku (For fans of Bouncing Souls)
Bouncing Souls Split Series
HOUSEWIVES BATTLE: Bouncing Souls vs. Band of Horses

Buy:
The Bouncing Souls

The Specials (For fans of Selecter, Madness, English Beat)

Bring back the days of 2-tone! The Specials were one of the biggest (if not the biggest) bands of the second wave of ska, and were often considered The Rolling Stones of ska, due to their incorporation of straight up rock and roll.

Definitely a must for any fan of the genre, although even people who dislike ska have been known to enjoy The Specials. Check it out!


Also Check Out:
One Night Band (For fans of Selecter, The Slackers, Hepcat)
Desmond Dekker... Because contrary to popular belief, No Doubt didn't invent ska
The Slackers - Self Medication
Tim Armstrong Returns to Roots!

Buy:
The Specials

New Mexican Disaster Squad Breaks Up! (For fans of Paint It Black, Kid Dynamite, The Steal)

Melodic hardcore band New Mexican Disaster Squad broke up today, releasing this statement:

"After almost ten years of NMDS there seems to be no more dead horse left to kick. We will be playing a pre-Fest show in Tampa on October 29th, and The FEST itself looks like it will be our final show as NMDS. Thanx to everyone that have been rad over the years. You know who you are. On a couple of positive notes, there are no hard feelings between any of us, and we have our new bands GATORFACE and VIRGINS both releasing shit this year. There is also a new project in the works with a certain sadistic magician that hopefully some of you will be stoked about."

Tis' a shame, as New Mexican Disaster Squad were one of the more solid melodic hardcore bands, playing in the veins of Paint It Black and Western Addiction. You'll be missed guys.

MP3:
New Mexican Disaster Squad - Bulimia Makes Me Wanna Puke
New Mexican Disaster Squad - Fuck The Oscars

Also Read:
Kid Dynamite
Paint It Black - New Lexicon
Bigwig - Reclamation
Static Radio NJ - An Evening Of Bad Decisions

Buy:
A-F Records

Fifth Hour Hero (For fans of Lawrence Arms, Hot Water Music, Smoke or Fire)

Alright all you scruffy melodic punk rockers, it's time to give that Gaslight Anthem album a rest. Check out this band tha.... HEY! I saw you reach for your Hot Water Music collection! Where was I? I've got a band that you may have missed: Fifth Hour Hero.

Fifth Hour hero played punk rock in the veins of Lawrence Arms, Samiam, and Smoke or Fire. The vocals are split between gal/guy, which adds a new dynamic and creates a sound that makes it their own.

If any of these apply to you:
a. Have a scruffy beard
b. Like to wear flannel
c. Like melodic punk rock

check them out.

Mp3:
Fifth Hour Hero - Faint and Fading Out
Fifth Hour Hero - After All Is Said and Done

Worth Putting Your Pabst Down For:
Smoke or Fire
Lagwagon - I Think My Older Brother Used to Listen To Lagwagon
Show Review: Strike Anywhere and Paint it Black Live In Philly

Buy:
No Idea Records

Craaaazy dance party! Totally Michael (For fans of Matt and Kim, Atom and His Package)

Take Atom and his Package, force him to listen to nothing but dance and twee while feeding him ecstasy and pop-rocks for about three years, throw him in front of Fruity Loops, and you've got yourself Totally Michael.

It's a non-stop dance party with the new self titled album Totally Michael is putting out on October 14th (well besides a brief interlude in the middle), and the songs are more infectious than Ebola.

Get your groove on!

MP3:
Totally Michael - Casual Satisfaction
Totally Michael - Winona

Other Totally Awesome Articles:
Atom and His Package to Play Re-Union Show!
Housewives Battle! Fugazi vs. Atom And His Package
Fishboy

Buy:
Totally Michael

One Night Band - Hit and Run (For fans of The Slackers, Hepcat, Selecter)

Easy skanking! Playing ska in the veins of The Slackers and Hepcat, One Night Band's new album "Hit and Run" is set to be released on October 7th in Canada and November 4th here in the states. I got a chance to check out Hit and Run, and let me say, it makes a fine addition to the (modern) 2tone / roots reggae genres.

Hit and Run stays consistent throughout, with the rhythm not letting up for a second. One Night Band infuses classic rock and roll into some of the songs (most notably in "Wait a Minute"), yet it doesn't take away from the ska beats. Perfect music to bust some chills to.

MP3:
One Night Band - Wait a Minute
One Night Band - Sammy

Also Check Out:
Show Review: The Slackers Live In Philadelphia
The Slackers - Self Medication
Ruder Than You - God's Ghetto
Desmond Dekker (Because Contrary To Popular Belief, No Doubt Didn't Invent Ska)

Buy:
Stomp Records

Against All Authority - 24 Hour Roadside Resistance (For fans of Choking Victim, Suicide Machines, Leftover Crack)

Some people use caffeine to wake them up, I use Against All Authority. Mornings when I wake up and just want everyone I pass to just die (aka: today), Against All Authority is the perfect soundtrack.

Heavy as shit punk rock mixed with snotty, intelligent lyrics all with the occasional ska horns. AAA is to AAA as Rancid's Self Titled was to them: A heavier concentration on the straight up punk side of things, with ska just making an occasional appearance. Usually I would be against such blasphemy, but Against All Authority makes it work.

I swear, Against All Authority may be the only reason I get through the day.

MP3:
Against All Authority - Dinkas When I Close My Eyes
Against All Authority - Pestilent Existence

Other Music To Kill Chirpy Morning People To:
From Ashes Rise
Disfear - Live The Storm

Buy:
Hopeless Records

Show Review: The Slackers Philadelphia (9/5/08)

Last night I headed out to the greatest venue ever: The First Unitarian Church to catch veteran of ska The Slackers. Since I last caught them a little over a year ago, The Slackers have released a new album entitled "Self Medication", and I was pretty stoked to here some of that material live.

The Downgrades:
There were only two bands on the bill tonight, Philly locals The Downgrades, and headliners, The Slackers. When The Downgrades finally hit the stage, a crowd poured in to skank the night away. The Downgrades played laid back ska, which can best be described as a mix between One Cool Guy and Ruder Than You. Laid back ska mixed with some funk and hip hop beats.

The Slackers:
The Slackers are by far one of the most consistent live bands out there, and last night was no exception. Besides the fact that the basement of the church was easily over 90 something degrees (ventilation? HA!), that didn't keep the majority of the crowd skanking through each song. The Slackers played an hour of a half, and the set consisted of:

Keep It Simple
I Still Love You
Eviction
Keep Him Away
Leave Me
Have The Time
Wanna Man
Yes It's True
Please Decide
Always On My Mind
Work Song
Propaganda
I'll Stay Away
She Wants To Be Alone
What Went Wrong
Everyday Is Sunday
Pedophilia
Encore:
I don't remember what songs were in the encore.

MP3:
The Slackers - Everyday Is Sunday
The Slackers - She Wants To Be Alone

Other Housewive Articles To Check Out:
The Slackers - Self Medication
Ruder Than You - God's Ghetto
The Slackers w/ Hub City Stompers Show Review
Desmond Dekker (Because Contrary TO Popular Belief, No Doubt Didn't Invent Ska


Buy:
The Slackers

The Soviettes - LP (For fans of Teenage Bottlerocket, Dillinger Four, Ramones)

Super charged female fronted punk rock! LP by The Soviettes is definitely a hidden gem in the bowels of punk, and unfortunately has been overlooked by many. For one, it came out nearly 4 years ago with relatively little fanfare. But hey, that's why the Housewives are here!

The musician is really tight, with an amazing guitar crunch and drum beats that interlace perfectly. There's no shortage of "whoas" and gang vocals either, with all of the members voices harmonizing together like cupcakes and (cyanide) jellybeans.

MP3:
The Soviettes - 9th Street
The Soviettes - Thin Ice

Other Housewives Reads You'll Dig:
Teenage Bottlerocket/Broadway Calls Split (Good Pop Punk)
The Copyrights
Groovie Ghoulies 99 Lives

Buy:
Adeline Records

The Top 5 Most Overrated Bands

I'm feeling a bit cynical today, so I might as well get something off my chest. No matter where I go, I have to hear about how amazing the same damn 5 bands are. I'm sick of it I tell you, sick of it!

5. Sublime
The only band on this list I actually like, but they definitely do not deserve the amount of attention that they get. It seems like everybody and their grandmothers are obsessed with Sublime. Yes, they mixed reggae with punk in a pretty damn catchy way, but by no means did they influence ska or reggae (bands have been incorporating the two with punk for years). All we get from Sublime are a bunch of ultimate frisbee playing, long boarding, hemp wearing, shaggy haired frat bros talking about "how deep Brad Nowell was maaaaan".

4. Jimi Hendrix
The king of putting people into comas. I don't care how insane Hendrix was at the guitar. Skill does not equal good music, and long solos make for some pretty boring music.

3. Nirvana
If Kurt Cobain didn't shoot himself, Nirvana would have eventually been completely forgotten about. So they helped kick off the grunge movement, which pretty much stood for the right to not shower and the right to wear the same Sonic Youth shirt for days.

2. Led Zeppelin
What the hell is so great about Led Zeppelin? Their only good song was "Dyer Maker", everything else completely sucked (including your beloved "Stairway to Heaven", it's not even that good of a song, get over it.)

1. The Beatles
Jesus Christ I am sick of hearing about how great The Beatles were. They weren't THAT good, and I'm going to go on a whim and say they weren't even the best band of the 60s, let alone all time.

What about you? What's your most overrated bands?

MP3:
Screeching Weasel - I hate Led Zeppelin

Also Read:
5 Greatest Acoustic Songs
5 Greatest Punk Songs By Bands You've Never Heard Of
The Best 20 Songs Under 35 Seconds
Buy:
Screeching Weasel

The Chinkees - Peace Through Music (For fans of MU330, Skankin Pickle, Mustard Plug)

Education about racism has never been so damn catchy! The Chinkees were fronted by Mike Park (of Skankin Pickle, Asian Man Records fame), and provided catchy ska-punk in the veins of MU330. The songs are incredibly catchy (especially Run Away), and like the Blue Meanies, are often organ driven.

MP3:
The Chinkees - Run Away
The Chinkees - Crowded Forum

Also Check Out:
Mu330
Mustard Plug - In Black and White
Planet Smashers


Buy:
Asian Man Records

Kids Like Us (For Fans of Give Up The Ghost, Down To Nothing, Bones Brigade)

When you think "hardcore capital of the world" Tallahassee, Florida is the least likely to come to mind. In fact, the only thing Tallahassee has ever given us were copious amounts of golf courses (and I don't even like golf, you have any idea how expensive lefty clubs are?) Yet, Kids Like Us are able to solidify Tallahassee as a contender with their furious hardcore.

Kids Like Us are completely unrelenting, both musically and lyrically. Musically, they're insanely fast, brutal, and raw. Taking cues from contemporaries such as Give Up The Ghost, Kids Like Us pull no punches. Lyrically, the band is as straight forward as you can get ("You're gonna hate me anyway/why don't I give you a valid fucking reason?")

MP3:
Kids Like Us - Lars Is A Fascist
Kids Like Us - Don't Fake The Punk

Articles Like Us:
A Little Hardcore Mix For You All
Bane: Because Some Days, You're That Kid With The Hoodie On
Jumpercable
Buy:
Eulogy Recordings

Happy Labor Day!

Ahh Labor Day! The "Man's" way of saying "thanks for selling your soul to us. Have a day off." Unless you work for Walmart of course.

Enjoy!
MP3:
Paint It Black - Labor Day
Hudson Falcons - Working Class War

Buy:
Interpunk