SONG OF THE WEEK: 2-25-2024

SONG:  "Horror"

ARTIST:  Myelin

ALBUM:  "Reservoirs" EP

YEAR:  2017

PLACE OF ORIGIN:  London, England

YEARS ACTIVE:  2016 - present ??

WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"Horror" appears to be a song about not only dealing with the outside problems, but also dealing with the mess in your own head. The vocalist definitely seems like he's in a war with himself.

MYELIN DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

Myelin has not released a full length album to date.

MY THOUGHTS ON MYELIN:

Myelin was formed in 2016 in London, England by vocalist/guitarist Dan Bond. Bond was more well known from being in the band Apologies, I Have None from their inception in 2004 till 2014. Myelin's first release was the double sided single "Die/Horror" in 2016. Then in 2017, the band released the EP "Reservoirs". This proved to be the last release from Myelin. Their Facebook page was somewhat active in 2020 with only one post in 2021. If you like Apologies, I Have None, you would most likely like Myelin. Their styles are very similar, I'd say Apologies may be a little heavier but both bands are quite excellent! The lyrical content is very dark as well. As far as I know, Dan Bond hasn't rejoined Apologies, I Have None but there really doesn't seem to be any updated news on Myelin either. They may be done as a band after delivering just five songs! I hope not. These five songs are very good. Their fans deserve more!

SIMILAR ARTISTS:

Apologies, I Have None

Idle Class

Harker

The Penske File

Above Them

TEN MYELIN SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. Die

2. 15

3. Horror

4. Gaps

5. Cave

Myelin only has five songs to date.

SONG OF THE WEEK: 2-18-2024

SONG:  "Nihilist Nation"

ARTIST:  Sweet Empire

ALBUM:  "A New Cycle"

YEAR:  2019

PLACE OF ORIGIN:  Amsterdam, Netherlands

YEARS ACTIVE:  2008 - 2023

WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"Nihilist Nation" appears to be a song about not succumbing to the wrongs of the world. There's so many forces in the world that can make you lose the fight and just give in and go with the flow. But acceptance is almost like dying. You don't want to be numb. You want to feel, even if it hurts. You want to take life back and not conform.

SWEET EMPIRE DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

2011 - This Season Needs Torches (Shield Recordings)

* did not chart on the Billboard 200

2014 - Old Ideas Keep Fighting Us (Shield Recordings)

* did not chart on the Billboard 200

2019 - A New Cycle (Shield Recordings)

* did not chart on the Billboard 200

2023 - All Empires Fall (Shield Recordings)

* did not chart on the Billboard 200

MY THOUGHTS ON SWEET EMPIRE:

Sweet Empire formed as a band back in 2008, hailing from Amsterdam. The band members all getting together from various local bands. Their very first release was an EP in 2010 called "The Flood". The band's debut full length album came out in 2011, titled "This Season Needs Torches". They would follow that album up in 2014 with their sophomore release "Old Ideas Keep Fighting Us". Sweet Empire pretty much toured all over Europe for almost 5 years until their next release, 2019's "A New Cycle". The band's most recent release would be 2023's "All Empires Fall". Shortly after the release of this album, the band announced that they had broken up. Sweet Empire is a band that has some melodic punk elements along with some pop punk and melodic hardcore as well. I'm almost 100% positive I learned of this band from the punk rock blogsite, DyingScene. Though their was not a lot that seperated Sweet Empire from many other bands of the same ilk, they were a pretty solid listen and I'm sorry that they decided to call it quits.

SIMILAR ARTISTS:

Crazy Arm

Leagues Apart

The Real Danger

Apologies, I Have None

Above Them

TEN SWEET EMPIRE SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. No Roads Untraveled

2. Thoughts And Prayers

3. Hostile World

4. Torches

5. V.K.T.

6. The Breakfast Club Revisited

7. The Mapmaker

8. Rosa

9. Western Gates

10. Chaplin

SONG OF THE WEEK: 2-11-2024

SONG:  "Murder Shanty"

ARTIST:  The Rumjacks

ALBUM:  "Sleepin' Rough"

YEAR:  2016

PLACE OF ORIGIN:  Sydney, Australia

YEARS ACTIVE:  2008 - present

WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"Murder Shanty" is a tale about the passing of the seasons and the cycle of life.

THE RUMJACKS DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

2010 - Gangs Of New Holland (Laughing Outlaw Records)

* did not chart on the Billboard 200

2015 - Sober & Godless (Four Four Records)

* did not chart on the Billboard 200

2016 - Sleepin' Rough (Four Four Records)

* did not chart on the Billboard 200

2018 - Saints Preserve Us (Four Four Records)

* did not chart on the Billboard 200

2019 - Live In London (Acoustic Sessions) (Four Four Records)

* did not chart on the Billboard 200

2019 - Live In Athens (Four Four Records)

* did not chart on the Billboard 200

2021 - Hestia (Four Four Records)

* did not chart on the Billboard 200

MY THOUGHTS ON THE RUMJACKS:

The Rumjacks formed as a band back in 2008, hailing from Sydney, Australia though most of the bandmembers now reside in Europe. The band's first release was an EP in 2009 called "Hung, Drawn & Portered". Their debut full length album was released in 2010, titled "Gangs Of New Holland". This album contains the song "An Irish Pub Song" which has over 85 million views on YouTube! The band's next release would be 2015's "Sober & Godless". This was followed up a year later in 2016 with "Sleepin' Rough". 2018's "Saints Preserve Us" would be the band's last release with vocalist Frankie McLaughlin. Though the band supported McLaughlin through three domestic violence charges in 2012, his behavior and violence towards the band and the crew gave The Rumjacks no other choice but to sever ties with him. McLaughlin was replaced on vocals with Mike Rivkees. The first album with Rivkees was 2021's "Hestia". The Rumjacks most recent release was an EP in 2022 called "Brass For Gold". The Rumjacks are a celtic punk band very much in the same vein as the Dropkick Murphys. In fact, Rivkees, a native New Englander, filled in for Dropkicks frontman Al Barr for a tour when Barr was caring for his ailing mother. The Rumjacks are top notch and Rivkees has proven to be a pretty awesome replacement on vocals for McLaughlin. 

SIMILAR ARTISTS:

The Real McKenzies

Dropkick Murphys

The Killigans

Flatfoot 56

Street Dogs

TEN THE RUMJACKS SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. An Irish Pub Song

2. Saints Preserve Us

3. Sainted Millions

4. A Fistful O' Roses

5. Blows & Unkind Words

6. Light In My Shadow

7. A Smuggler's Song

8. Fact'ry Jack

9. The Black Matilda (acoustic version)

10. Crosses For Eyes

SONG OF THE WEEK: 2-4-2024

SONG:  "Lost In Transit"

ARTIST:  Burnt Tapes

ALBUM:  "Never Better"

YEAR:  2019

PLACE OF ORIGIN:  London, United Kingdom

YEARS ACTIVE:  2014 - present

WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

I can't find the lyrics to "Lost In Transit" on the web anywhere but it seems the song is about how the drugs and the booze have the vocalist kind of going in all different directions. Like his mind is going all over the place. He can't seem to figure out exactly what he wants. But the drugs are good!

BURNT TAPES DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

2019 - Never Better (Lockjaw Records)

* did not chart on the Billboard 200

MY THOUGHTS ON BURNT TAPES:

The members of Burnt Tapes were all actually born in Athens, Greece, but they decided to move to London and form a band back in 2014. Their very first release was an EP in 2014 titled "Wasted History". Their debut and only full length studio album to date is 2019's "Never Better". The band has put out a few EP's as well as some singles over the years. Their most recent release was the stand alone single "Little Sister" in 2023. The Burnt Tapes are one of the most recent bands that I've been following so they are very new to me. They self-describe their sound as "regret punk". They have pop punk and melodic punk tendencies. They're a pretty good punk band. I'm still learning their catalogue but I'm liking what I'm hearing so far. Hopefully they tour the States soon.

SIMILAR ARTISTS:

Russian Girlfriends

The Penske File

Deforesters

The Drowns

Harker

TEN BURNT TAPES SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. Yuzi

2. Don't Make Me Play Bocelli

3. Drift Champ '16

4. Greek Wood

5. Working For The Weekend (Loverboy cover)

6. Birds, And Birds, And Animals, And Things

7.  Little Sister

8. Holiday (The Get Up Kids cover)

9. Getitgotitgood

10. Dynasty, Die With Me