Sunday, June 25, 2017

Song Of The Week: 6/25/17







Song: "Pollute The Youth"

Artist: Fail To Follow

Album: "For The Dead, The Dying, And Those Still Fighting"

Year: 2007

Place Of Origin: Salt Lake City, Utah

Years Active: 2004 - present (?)



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"Pollute The Youth" appears to be a song about speaking to the youth of America about political ideals, individuality, rebellion and reform. Youth are impressionable and the powers that be want them to conform to their ideals and fall in line. The vocalist wants to "pollute the youth" to stand up for what they believe in, to protest any form of injustice and to rise up against the powers that be. It's time for the youth to be heard!

FAIL TO FOLLOW DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

2007 - For The Dead, The Dying, And Those Still Fighting (Over Giver Music)
2010 - Poisoned By The Lies Of History (self-released)

CURRENT STATUS OF FAIL TO FOLLOW:

Fail To Follow is a hardcore punk band hailing from Salt Lake City, Utah. They first broke on the punk scene in 2004 with their self titled EP. Soon, they hooked up with Over Giver Music to release their debut full length album, "For The Dead, The Dying, And Those Still Fighting" in 2007. Three years later in 2010, the band released their most recent album, "Poisoned By The Lies Of History". Fail To Follow is a no nonsense, in your face melodic hardcore punk band. Following in the footsteps of bands like Anti-Flag, Bad Religion, Thought Riot, Good Riddance, Pennywise and Strike Anwhere, Fail To Follow is about rebellion, protest and political activism. Their lyrics are meant to shine a light on injustice and have the back of those who struggle. Supposedly, Fail To Follow was to release their third album in 2011, tentatively called "Failed State", but as of 2017, this album never saw the light of day. The real possibility is that Fail To Follow has broken up. It's been six years since that information came out and really nothing else from the band. No Facebook page or Twitter account so it's hard to get info on this band. If they are all done, it's too bad. Political punk is right up my alley. I love music that has a message and Fail To Follow was one of those bands that definitely wore their ideals on their sleeves.

TEN FAIL TO FOLLOW SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. Black Dragon
2. 1000 Fears To Face
3. Losing Sight
4. Poisoned By The Lies Of History
5. Reality's The Killer
6. No More Time To Waste
7. AFPS
8. My Regrets
9. As One
10. One Day

Sunday, June 18, 2017

Song Of The Week: 6/18/17







Song: "Unwelcome End"

Artist: Flag On Fire

Album: "Practically The Best You've Ever Been"

Year: 2017

Place Of Origin: Jacksonville, Florida

Years Active: 2015 - present



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"Unwelcome End" appears to be a song about trying to help a friend whose drug addiction has a complete stranglehold on him. The people around him, friends and family, have tried to intervene and get him help but it has been to no avail. Now he is gone sometimes days or weeks at a time while all his loved ones fear that the worst is inevitable. The drugs will eventually kill him.

FLAG ON FIRE DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

2017 - Practically The Best You've Ever Been (Felony Records)

CURRENT STATUS OF FLAG ON FIRE:

Formed in 2015, Jacksonville, Florida's Flag On Fire quickly jumped upon the scene with their debut EP, "Slack To The Future" on Bird Attack Records. Two years later in 2017, the band released their debut full length album, "Practically The Best You've Ever Been" on Felony Records. Although Flag On Fire is a new band, their sound harkens back to 90's skate punk bands that scoured the Fat Wreck Chords and Epitaph Records labels back in the day. They are definitely a throwback to those times. In fact, I'd say that No Use For A Name is a chief influence on Flag On Fire's music. The band even has a little ode to NUFAN's fallen leader Tony Sly in their song "One For The Old Punks". So if you're into bands like No Use, Ten Foot Pole, Enemy You, The Swellers or Implants, then you should check out Flag On Fire. I really like this band and hope they take off in punk circles. Their sound really takes me back to the mid 90's when I fell in love with bands like No Use For A Name, Lagwagon and Pulley. They have the same vibe and energy of those great bands and I, for one, would love to see that sound make a comeback. So two thumbs up for Flag On Fire! Can't wait to hear more from them.

TEN FLAG ON FIRE SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. One For The Old Punks
2. Micro Aggression Machine
3. Thunderdome
4. Off The Edge
5. Indestructable
6. #96
7. Bad News
8. Smoke'Em If You Got'Em
9. On The Rocks
10. Unwelcome End

Sunday, June 11, 2017

Song Of The Week: 6/11/17







Song: "Dizzy Spells"

Artist: Crow Bait

Album: "Three Tickle Guys" EP

Year: 2011

Place Of Origin: Long Island, New York

Years Active: 2011 - present



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"Dizzy Spells" appears to be a song about being in a deep depression. The feeling of regret and self-deprecation are constantly eating away at the vocalist, causing both mental and physical pain. If suicide is on the vocalist's list of final choices, you get a sense that he is very close to accepting that fate.

CROW BAIT DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

2014 - Sliding Through The Halls Of Fate (Don Giovanni Records)

CURRENT STATUS OF CROW BAIT:

Crow Bait formed as a band back in 2011. The Long Island, New York product features members who played in other prominent bands, most notably Halfway To Hell Club and Iron Chic. Early on, the band dropped "Three Tickle Guys", which is an EP. Their first full length album, and actually only full length out to date, was 2014's "Sliding Through The Halls Of Fate". The band also was on a split 7" single as well as a 7" single of their own, "Separate Stations" which they dropped in 2015. Crow Bait is a punk band that champions the DIY ethic. While their songs have some grit and teeth, it is very important to the band to keep melody and hooks prominent in their music. This has much to do with bands like The Replacements, The Lemonheads and Husker Du which all have influenced and impacted Crow Bait's take on music. As for contemporary acts? If you enjoy bands like Off With Their Heads, Polar Bear Club, The Arrivals, Halfway To Hell Club and The Flatliners, they you should check out Crow Bait. They are still relatively new but from the material i've heard from them, there is definitely some promise.

TEN CROW BAIT SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. Crow Bait
2. 83
3. Separate Stations
4. The Ocean
5. A Billion Lives
6. Lost & Never Found
7. Searching For My Boots On The Highway
8. Why Don't You
9. Callin' Yer Bluff
10. Pretty Good Things

Monday, June 5, 2017

Song Of The Week: 6/4/17







Song: "Airtight"

Artist: One If By Land

Album: "In The Fire Of My Youth"

Year: 2013

Place Of Origin: Meadville, Pennsylvania

Years Active: 2011 - present



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"Airtight" appears to be a song about trying to escape your mundane life and your mundane job and your mundane surroundings. You get a sense that the vocalist has ambitions and goals and in order to achieve them, he has to get out of his current situation. His current situation is holding him back and keeping him down and he has to break away from it in order to allow himself to grow.

ONE IF BY LAND DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

2013 - In The Fire Of My Youth (Between The Days Records)
2016 - Nobody Wants To Leave (Paper Box Records)

CURRENT STATUS OF ONE IF BY LAND:

One If By Land formed as a band back in 2011, hailing from Meadville, Pennsylvania. Early on in the band's career, One If By Land received support from fellow Pennysylvania punk band, Anti-Flag. In fact, Anti-Flag asked One If By Land to appear on a split single with them in 2014. One If By Land's debut full length album dropped in 2013 called "In The Fire Of My Youth". Some three years later in 2016, the band released their most recent album, "Nobody Wants To Leave". One If By Land is an indie punk band that mixes gravelly vocals over melodic rhythms. If you're a fan of bands such as Red City Radio, Off With Their Heads, Samiam, Run Forever or Nightmares For A Week then you would most likely enjoy the music of One If By Land. This is a band that definitely has some potential if they can keep it together in a day and age where it's difficult to keep a band intact for very long.

TEN ONE IF BY LAND SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. Long Time Coming
2. True Blue, Through, And Everything About You
3. The Things I Love
4. The Devil Was Due
5. With Integrity
6. Yesterburner
7. I'm Not Sorry
8. You'll Be Missed
9. Ain't Worth You Time Kid
10. Do I