The Evens - The Odds (2012)

Probably some of you who are reading this have been thinking that this blog was lifeless once and for all. You haven't been totally wrong. Flannel & Beards its been riding the flatline for the past months, and I didn't really have the will to revive it. But there are sometimes that dying things get back on their feet and show a little spark of vitality. Today F&B did this just because there was a big reason for doing it. I just found that The Evens released a new LP and of course this is a huge reason for resuscitation.

After all this boring speech, let's get to what matters. Ian MacKaye and Amy Farina are back 6 long years later with a new LP entitled The Odds. For the ones who are not familiar with this band, it involves Amy Farina at the drums and Ian playing the baritone guitar, both of them singing and the kind of genius that you could expect from post-hardcore Washington d.c. musicians. I could not give an exact definition of how they sound like, because it is just so simple and so rich at the same time that it escapes me. You just have to give it a listen and discern if you enjoy them, what you probably will. And if not, well... I pity you.

1. King of Kings
2. Wanted Criminals
3. I Do Myself
4. Warble Factor
5. Sooner or Later
6. Wonder Why
7. Competing With the Till
8. Broken Finger
9. Architects Sleep
10. Timothy Wright
11. This Other Thing
12. Let's Get Well
13. KOK

Slight Similarities With: Fugazi? The Warmers? None of them?

Download it HERE

Yaw - Atlantida Zuzenean (2012)

Our personal favourites Yaw did a live recording at Atlantida Studios and they have just uploaded it for everyone to get a bite of their music (as they always have). It features two previously unreleased songs that keep all the vibe from their Australia EP. It's still shouted, still music from the heart and mind, still in basque language and still great. Pay special attention to "Kontraesana naiz", something a little bit different from what they usually deliver. You'll fucking love it.

The archive contains all the lyrics in basque, spanish, catalá and galego.

01- Hemengoa lazgarri zait
02- Kontraesana naiz

Slight Similarities With: Touché Amoré, old Gallows, Refused.

Download HERE

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Hot Water Music - Exister (2012)

Since "Drag my body" came out to make us salivate like Pavlov's dog, Exister has been one of the most expected albums of this prolific spring. Gainesville, FL's favorite sons are back with the album that will make number ten on their count. No break-ups can stop HWM. New album starts from the top with "Mainline" as if they had never disbanded to come back a year later. Still energic, still heartfelt and still delivering some of the catchies melodies sung by a unique voice.

01. Mainline
02. Boy, You’re Gonna Hurt Someone
03. State Of Grace
04. Drown In It
05. Drag My Body
06. Safety
07. Exister
08. Wrong Way
09. Take No Prisoners
10. Pledge Wore Thin
11. No End Left In Sight
12. The Traps
13. Paid In Full

Slight Similarities With: The Draft, Leatherface, Small Brown Bike.

Download HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE or 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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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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Make Do And Mend - Part And Parcel EP (2011)

Hartford, CT's post-hardcore sons have just released an acoustic EP of 6 tracks, containing three songs of their debut album "End Measured Mile", a Touché Amoré cover and two brand new songs. Great quiet and peaceful melodies accompanied with an acoustic guitar and some other arrangements.

1. Unknowingly Strong
2. Ghostal
3. Home Away From Here (Touché Amoré cover)
4. Transparent Seas
5. Coats
6. Untitled

Slight Similarities With: Daytrader, Defeater, Touché Amoré.

Download courtesy of Melodic Bears Crew

Polar Bear Club - Clash Battle Guilt Pride (2011)

Brand new album from Rochester's kids, produced by the great Brian McTernan whose work has been already noticed in masterpieces like Flash Flash Flash by The Explosion and several albums by Strike Anywhere, The Loved Ones and Hot Water Music.

01. Pawner
02. Killin It
03. Screams In Caves
04. Kneel On Nails
05. My Best Days
06. Life Between The Lines
07. I'll Never Leave New York
08. Bottled Wind
09. Slow Roam
10. Religion On The Radio
11. 3-4 Tango

Slight Similarities With: Transit, Title Fight, Living With Lions.

Download link courtesy of Melodic Bears Club

Refused - Live Umea 1997

Live recording of a show in Refused's hometown just a year before they split up. The setlist is composed mostly of their pre-shape of punk to come work. One of the best live recordings of the band that you can get.

1] Intro
2] Rather Be Dead
3] Hook, Line And Sinker
4] Burn It
5] Life Support Addiction
6] Return To The Closet
7] Burn The Flag
8] Everlasting
9] New Noise
10] Coup d'etat
11] The Slayer
12] Pretty Face
13] Voodoo People

Slight Similarities With: So hard to say but some say that Born Against, Nation of Ulysses, Snapcase... whatever.

Download link courtesy of Punk Not Profit

Signals Midwest - Latitudes and Longitudes (2011)

I just discovered this band and they sound amazing. With a deep and intense sound that could seem to be post-hardcore but it keeps a punk feel, like an echo of bands like Spraynard. The voice is as intense and deep as the music, and it gives the band a personal sound. Just listen to it, it's worth it.

01. In Tensions
02. Monarchs
03. Family Crest
04. Memo
05. I Was Lost
06. The Quiet Persuader
07. Limnology
08. January & Seven
09. Construction Paper
10. The Weight & The Waiting

Slight Similarities With: Worship This!, Spraynard, Transit

Download link courtesy of Melodic Bears Crew

http://signalsmidwest.bandcamp.com/