A LIFE IN THE DAY: MIKEY SABATELLA
Have you ever seen that movie “She’s All That” with Freddie Prinze Jr.? You know the one where Jessica Alba is a major nerd, but Prinze dates her on a bet and ends up totally falling for her? [Emperor's note: Jeff bitched about me not catching that this was Rachel someone. Fun fact: I don't watch chick flicks. It wasn't Jessica Alba, it was a different hot chick. It doesn't matter.] That’s kind of what writing this article/interview was like (minus the hot …
Cancer Bats
Bears, Mayors, Scraps and Bones
Good Fight/Distort
7/10
This album is just balls to the fucking wall. It’s brutal, edgy, powerful and just… good. I find it ironic that the lead off track is titled “Sleep This Away,” because after listening to the loud, extreme song, there will be no sleep. Loud and hard is the motto for this album, and frankly, I do not mind one bit.
Though this is definitely their hardest album to date, CB has also gone with a “If it’s not broke, then why fix it?” mentality, and …
Minus The Bear
OMNI
Dangerbird Records
7/10
I’ve used one word to describe this album to anyone who’s asked- “Sexy.” This is an album full of certified baby making jams and smooth indie rock. Hypnotic guitars, smooth swooning bass lines, quasi-seductive vocals and melodic keyboards make this a treat to listen to.
“Summer Angel” is most reminiscent of their older albums, but still lacks something… that I can’t quite put my finger on. “Into The Mirror” almost sounds like a Doors song at start, but then heads in a silky tune with guest female vocals …
letlive.
Fake History
Tragic Hero Records
Released – 4/13/2010
10/10
I know… You’re thinking, “A perfect ten!? C’mon Jeff.” Well, I too thought the same thing when this band was recommended to me. Imagine a band that had the ferocity of Every Time I Die, the imagination of Refused, and the vocal range of GlassJaw… Yeah, I’ve got a boner too. At first listen, I immediately fell in love with the raw energy and growling vocals of Jason Butler, and the swirling, crunchy guitar riffs set along with the loud and intense bass and drums.
“Le …
With “HEAT FETISH”, The Bled plan to “Rise” to the occasion.
I can remember the first time I heard Tucson, Arizona based The Bled’s “Pass The Flask” I was driving to the Glasshouse to see Poison The Well. A buddy of mine popped that CD in and I instantly fell in love. I remember it being intense, gnarly and just… good. Songs like “Dale Earnhardt’s Seatbelt”, “We Are The Industry” and “Red Wedding” were instant classics. I immediately burnt a copy of that CD and listened to it non-stop for over …
Scraping For Change
Breaking The Silence
Self-Released
1/10
I’m sorry, but I couldn’t listen to one whole song. It’s predictable, cheesy radio rock, and it’s just too sappy for me. Vocally the singer is all over the place. Musically they are too cliché, and lyrically they are awful. They get the one automatic point for not being Hawthorne Heights… other than that don’t waste your time.
-Jeff Curtis
[Emperor’s Note – Scraping For Change’s grandiose portrayal of themselves on Wikipedia include comparisons to both Billie Joe Armstrong AND Brandon Boyd. The only thing the three share …
Crime In Stereo
I Was Trying To Describe You To Someone
Bridge Nine Records
8/10
This record rules! It’s noisy, raw, energetic and just overall a solid record. Though every song has aspects I love, “Not Dead” was the catchiest and most memorable track. “Drugwolf” is a mellower track that is kind of hypnotic and soothing. Though I enjoyed it sober, I got the most pleasure when I was high. It just took me on an adventure that I did not want to return from. Go check this record out, along with their …
Cry Havoc
The Outcome Of Misery
Self Released
Released: 2004
9/10
Though this band released this album nearly six years ago, I felt they deserved some recognition for this hidden gem. “The Outcome Of Misery” to me is the perfect punk rock album. It is very melodic, aggressive and has great lyrics, along with some shredding solos. It consists of thirteen songs that all stand out in their own way. Though I do have favorites (”Fire In The Sky”, “The Animal Within” and “January”), this entire album has heart and great songs. I find myself …
OK, so here’s the deal… I headed to Los Angeles to scope the Alkaline Trio, Cursive and The Dear & Departed. The day started early and quickly became a blur. Between getting lost in Hollyweird (I’m very open about being a directional rihtard), spending some serious cash at Johnny Cupcakes, and drinking my weight in Jameson and Heineken, I soon realized doing a review may be quite hard. So, I decided to tweet my ass off in hopes of remembering the days activities… this is what @Jeff_Leppard had to say…
“Just …
The year is 2004. “Until The Day I Die” is filling the airwaves and most music video stations. St. Louis’ STORY OF THE YEAR had finally arrived. After a name change from BIG BLUE MONKEY and a slight lineup shuffle, SOTY had found the formula that would launch them into stardom. Add in mega producer John Feldman and you have “Page Avenue,” a twelve song album of blistering tracks, chunky guitars and catchy melody.
SOTY had a reputation for their flawless, energetic live shows with acrobatics and flying bodies. Having …
The internet is a beautiful thing. You can meet new people, listen to some cool music, and spend hours upon hours doing nothing. You may wonder what this may have to do with a band write-up, but I will soon show you. Back in late 2004, Steve Juliano signed online for one single purpose… to create a band that would help him convey the feeling and emotions that he was unable to before. Enter MYSPACE: A Place For Friends. Steve searched day and night for people who have similar …
Weerd Science
When people talk about the group Weerd Science, it usually goes a little something like this: “Hey, have you heard of that rap group with the drummer for Coheed and Cambria in it?” In actuality it should go a little something like this, “Hey, have you heard of that rock band with that guy from Weerd Science as the drummer?” If you knew anything about the mastermind of Weerd Science, you would know that Joshua Eppard has tooled around for more than a decade on this hip …
I loved Thrice for a long time. I’ve loved cereal for a long time. I also kinda liked NSync for about 3 days… all these things (along with my mishaps with a CHP officer on the way) are discussed with Guitarist Teppei during our little conversation in SOMA’s backstage area. This is what happens when your laptop dies and you cannot pull up the questions you had typed out to ask. Enjoy…
RacketJeff: I’m going to start off with a question my friend wanted me to ask: Do you guys plan …
It was a warm summer day in Anaheim, Ca. These always seem to be the best days for an ice cream. Upon arrival to the Chain Reaction, an ice cream truck seemed to answer our prayers. This wasn’t one of those cool ice cream trucks though… he didn’t sell crack. What kind of self respecting ice cream man doesn’t sell crack to kids? I was disappointed. I ran into Chris (Levesque; guitars) from A Wilhelm Scream outside where he was trying to finish a cherry popsicle before the heat did …
Racketeer Jeff Curtis sits down with Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy to discuss From Under The Cork Tree, Superhero powers, and MySpace whores! Let’s see how that went, shall we?
If there’s one thing I’m constantly getting shit for, it’s for being a fan of Fall Out Boy. Now most people classify them as a “kiddie” band, and even the members of FOB tend to do so themselves. One thing that is undeniable though, is their knack for writing perfect songs. From the moment I put “Take This To Your …
One could easily say that I’ve been a Zao fan for years. When I was offered the opportunity to sit down and hang with the guys, I jumped at the opportunity to return from my hiatus from Racket Magazine. So come Friday, June 16, 2006. I get off work and pick up my buddy Travis, and head down to Pomona for what would turn out to be a pretty rad night. Once we get there, we decide that we were hungry. We take a nice stroll down to a little …
