Sundials - When I Couldn't Breathe (2012)

 

Lots of releases and leaks this week. Some are freaking out to get the new NOFX album, some other are amazed by the new Gallows and there's some legitimate others who are constantly talking about the new Title Fight LP. But there's another record being released this month that may not catch that amount of attention but in my humble opinion is double worth it. With the terrible news of Spraynard's break-up the world needs some turn on Fortune's wheel and thanks to heaven or Asian Man Records, Sundials have a new album to comfort us and make this bad news easier to swallow.
This new record is not far from their previous releases, they have the same sound and they haven't made so much experimentation, but the compositions are even better this time. Perfect balance of clean and sweet guitars and raw distiortion, lots of great melodies and a way of singing that delights us with its simplicity and softness. This is the perfect piece to cheer us up, give your tortured minds some relax and happiness. Treat yourself.

01. 710
02. New York Crunch
03. When I Couldn't Breathe
04. Seventy-Five
05. Completely Broken
06. Unpredictable
07. Mosby Blues
08. Untitled
09. When I Couldn't Breathe (Reprise)
10. Brain Waves
11. The Mad Stork Makes Another Movie
12. Some Kinda Time
13. Strange

Slight Similarities With: Spraynard, Thousandaires, Bangers.

Download HERE

Sport - Demo (2011)

Very interesting band from Lyon, France. They play some kind of post-hardcore with a delicate scent of post-rock but it is really difficult to label it, it's got some emocore influence too. Reminds me of lots of bands in each song, from Iron Chic to Explosions in the sky. Quite wide style. Gruffy voices and clean and delayed riffs.

01. Athènes, 1896
02. Calgary, 1988
03. Cortina d'Ampezzo, 1956
04. Mexico City, 1968
05. Los Angeles, 1984

Slight Similarities With: Iron Chic, Explosions in the sky, Latterman.

Download HERE

Ihes Naiz - Fulland (2012)

Another great band coming from the rainy lands of the Basque Country. This time the guys come from Zarautz (Gipuzkoa) and I label them as "Basque Jawbreaker" even thought they don't sound exactly like the legendary american band. But they've got a lot of influence from Schwarzenbach and his descendants, apart from other punk rock and emo acts. Definately their sound is built up on lots of 90's punk rock and vocal melodies are essential part of their style with all lyrics in Basque language. Sometimes they are close to Face To Face's melodic hardcore too, memories from the previous bands of its members (Harlore, Mantisa). Give it a try because they have put a lot of emotion and affection in this record and it is totally worth it.

01- Fulland
02- Ez Naiz Dirudien Gizona
03- Beirazko Panpinak
04- Garai Txarretan
05- Ametsa Amaitzean
06- Eskola

Slight Similarities With: Jawbreaker, Samiam, Face To Face

Download HERE

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Spraynard - To Mitch 7" (2012)

Two new songs from our West Chester favourites, released on vinyl by Yo Yo Records. One of the is a cover of "Our Retired Explorer" originally by The Weakerthans. You already know that we are totally mad about these guys and we would be pleased to bring you new music from them every month. Here's a little bit while we hope to hear more from them soon.

01. Until The Next Time
02. Our Retired Explorer (Orig. By The Weakerthans)

Slight Similarities With: Latterman, Iron Chic, RVIVR

Download link courtesy of Melodic Bears Crew. Click HERE

Joyce Manor - Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired (2012)

Hard to label this. Not punk, not indie, not hardcore but a mixture of all the previous and some ingredients more. I like this one more than the self titled. It's shorter and funnier in my humble opinion. Punknews gave the #1 in the staff's list, I don't really know if that matters so much but just in case you should download it and check it out yourself. Worth it.

01. These Kind of Ice Skates
02. Comfortable Clothes
03. See How Tame I Can Be
04. Drainage
05. Video Killed The Radio Star
06. If I Needed You There
07. Bride of Usher
08. Violent Inside
09. I'm Always Tired

Slight Similarities With: Seahaven, Spraynard, Daytrader

Download HERE

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Sharks - No Gods (2012)

First I have to admit that Sharks are not the same they were before. This doesn't mean that they suck now or that they keep nothing of their roots, don't get me wrong. They've made some changes in this record, starting with the jump to major, meaning better sound and better production. And that's the first thing I don't like, because I loved how Sharks had a dirty sound but they were elegant and neat at the same time. The thing that stuck them to the punk roots, to that husky strummer voice that James had and now has turned into a bright and clean chant. The guitar riffs are still accurate and colorful and they still know how to build epic choruses, but the compositions have gone to the indie side of indie punk. This is a good record, totally worth downloading and listening to (otherwise, we wouldn't be posting it) but you have to realize that some things have changed, and it's up to you to decide if it's getting better or not. Your call.

01. 'Til The Wonders Rise
02. Arcane Effigies
03. Able Moving Hearts
04. On A Clear Day You Can See Yourself
05. Matthew's Baby
06. Patient Spider
07. Turn To You
08. Dawn Soft Light
09. What Entails?
10. Luck
11. No Gods

Slight Similarities With: The Gaslight Anthem, The Menzingers, The Clash

Donload it HERE or HERE

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Ceremony - Zoo (2012)

Ceremony did it again. It all started brewing with Rohnert Park. Not as hardcore as their previous work and with a lot of new ideas and things to try made that album a great effort to start changing the band's sound without erasing the band's roots and keeping it hardcore punk. So Zoo is some kind of natural follow-up to that change. This time, Ceremony sounds even further from their previous work but nobody can say that they have stepped aside from hardcore punk. There's a lot of influences in this record, and it rides through punk, garage, indie and surf landscapes naturally. It works for me, let's hope it does for you.

01. Hysteria
02. Citizen
03. Repeating the Circle
04. World Blue
05. Quarantine
06. Brace Yourself
07. Adult
08. Hotel
09. Ordinary People
10. Nosebleed
11. Community Service
12. Video

Slight Similarities With: Hard to say... some garage punk, some indie rock, maybe you'll love it if you liked Fucked Up's sound progression.

Download courtesy of ElementaryRevolt

http://ceremonyhc.com/
http://www.bridge9.com/ceremony

Summer Vacation - Condition (2011)

Don't let this horrible album cover fool you, this is great stuff. Something flowing smoothly between genres like punk, indie, pop, emo and post-hardcore but always keeping it genuine and bouncy. Southern California must be proud of these guys.

01. I Know What You Want 01:08
02. Tiffany Sucks 01:45
03. Post-You 03:10
04. Team Captain 02:15
05. Wormhole Blueprint 02:12
06. Last Summer 01:45
07. Blue Dream 03:40
08. The Flower That Drank The Moon 01:55
09. Dementia 01:14
10. Not That 02:04
11. Vice City 01:47
12. Apparatus 01:49
13. Cancer 05:39
14. Bonus Track 0:48

Slight Similarities With: Joyce Manor, Big Kids, Grown Ups

Download HERE

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