This is a weekly blog to let you in on what song and/or band that i've been feeling for that particular week. Music will always be a very important part of my life. I see it as the soundtrack for memories that bring you back to a certain place and time and new songs help to create new memories. Hope you enjoy!! :)
Here's how the band described "Hit The Breaks". "Hit The Breaks" is "a headfirst charge straight into the highest form of kinetic energy, be it sonic, fluid, or pure human euphoria."
PLOSIVS DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):
2022 - Plosivs (Swami Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
MY THOUGHTS ON PLOSIVS:
Plosivs is a new band, but the members of the band have a rich history in punk rock circles. Formed in San Diego, California in 2022, Plosivs is a collaboration of John Reis, who has and is involved in such bands as Rocket From The Crypt, Drive Like Jehu, Pitchfork and most recently as touring member of punk cover supergroup, Me First And The Gimme Gimmes, and Rob Crow of Pinback fame. Throw in Atom Willard on drums who has played in Against Me!, The Offspring and Social Distortion and you got yourself a punk supergroup! Plosivs released their debut and only full length album to date in 2022, titled "Plosivs". This band would seem to have a bright future but because all the members are involved in so many projects, it will be interesting to see how much time is invested in the project. They put out a really solid album so hopefully, all the members shift some focus to this project cause it seems like they may have something here. Not a whole lot more info I can give as the band is just 2 years old.
"Central Standard Time" appears to be a song about a relationship that is going to turn long distance. I get the feeling that the girl the vocalist is in love with is going off to college maybe. For sure in a different state or part of the country and there's that uneasiness of whether the relationship can survive the distance between the two.
THE GET UP KIDS DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):
1997 - Four Minute Mile (Doghouse Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
1999 - Something To Write Home About (Vagrant Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2001 - The EP's: Red Letter Day And Woodson (Doghouse Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2001 - Eudora (Vagrant Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2002 - On A Wire (Vagrant Records)
* peaked at #57 on the Billboard 200
2004 - Guilt Show (Vagrant Records)
* peaked at #58 on the Billboard 200
2005 - Live @ The Granada Theater (Vagrant Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2011 - There Are Rules (Quality Hill Records)
* peaked at #124 on the Billboard 200
2019 - Problems (Polyvinyl Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
MY THOUGHTS ON THE GET UP KIDS:
The Get Up Kids are a Kansas City band that got it's start back in 1995. The band's first release was a split with the band Coalesce in 1996. Their debut full length album dropped in 1997, called "Four Minute Mile". The band signed a deal with Vagrant Records after that release to put out their 1999 album "Something To Write Home About". This album almost single handedly turned Vagrant Records into one of the top indie labels in the country! It was a highly influential album that really marked the beginnings of what people would term "emo". In 2002, much to their fans' chagrin, their next album, "On A Wire" was a much more alternative rock sounding record. It would be their highest charting album however, peaking at #57 on the Billboard 200. The band's 2004 album, "Guilt Show", ended their relationship with Vagrant Records. Turmoil within the band caused The Get Up Kids to disband in 2005. But, it was only a three year hiatus as the band reunited to go on a 10 year anniversary tour for "Something To Write Home About". In 2011, the band released "There Are Rules". The band's most recent release would be 2019's "Problems". As I said earlier, The Get Up Kids were hugely influencial to many up and coming "emo" bands. While The Get Up Kids drew influence from such bands as Jawbreaker, Green Day and Weezer, they would go on to influence bands like The Early November, Taking Back Sunday, My Chemical Romance and Dashboard Confessional. I was a very late bloomer to The Get Up Kids. I knew about them since the late 90's, but at that time, I was much more into bands like Pennywise, Bad Religion and No Use For A Name. I'd say in the 2000's, I started getting into bands like Taking Back Sunday and Brand New. I actually first gave The Get Up Kids a shot in 2019 when they released "Problems". I really like that album and since I've went back and consumed some of The Get Up Kids' previous work. Sometimes I'm late on the draw! What are ya gonna do?!!
"The Rebels Are Dead" appears to be a song about a corrupt government that is trying to thwart a revolution. It paints a chaotic scene where the powers that be, government, the media, the church, are all combining forces to suppress the people.
PISTOL GRIP DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):
2001 - The Shots From Kalico Rose (BYO Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2003 - Another Road (BYO Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2l004 - Tear It All Down! (BYO Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2007 - Machines Of String Theory In C#m (self-released)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
MY THOUGHTS ON PISTOL GRIP:
Pistol Grip formed as a band back in 1997, hailing from Walnut, California. Their first release was a split with the band Fully Loaded in 2000. This split caught the ear of BYO Records who promptly signed Pistol Grip. The band's debut full length album dropped in 2001, called "The Shots From Kalico Rose". They followed that up in 2003 with "Another Round". The band completed it's deal with BYO after releasing 2004's "Tear It All Down!". Pistol Grip's most recent release dropped in 2007, titled "Machines Of String Theory In C#m". Pistol Grip is a hardcore band that is kinda like a mix of southern California hardcore and U.K. punk. They are an underground band for sure. I first heard of these guys in the early 2000's but I haven't really started to get into them till the last few years. Though their last release came back in 2007, the band is still performing live shows. No word if they have any new music on the radar or not. There's not a ton of info out there on these guys!
"Rippin Up The Boundary Line" appears to be about a call to action, urging listeners to break down the barriers that separate the rich from the poor, and to fight against the forces that prevent the growth of a strong and vibrant working class. The lyrics are a powerful indictment of the corporate and political forces that seek to maintain the status quo, and the song encourages listeners to stand up and fight back against these oppressive forces.
DROPKICK MURPHYS DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):
1998 - Do Or Die (Hellcat Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
1999 - The Gang's All Here (Hellcat Records)
* peaked at #184 on the Billboard 200
2000 - The Singles Collection, Vol. 1 (Hellcat Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2001 - Sing Loud, Sing Proud (Hellcat Records)
* peaked at #144 on the Billboard 200
2002 - Live On St. Patrick's Day (Hellcat Records)
* peaked at #155 on the Billboard 200
2003 - Blackout (Hellcat Records)
* peaked at #83 on the Billboard 200
2005 - The Singles Collection, Vol. 2 (Hellcat Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2005 - The Warrior's Code (Hellcat Records)
* peaked at #48 on the Billboard 200
* certified gold
2007 - The Meanest Of Times (Born & Bred Records)
* peaked at #20 on the Billboard 200
2010 - Live On Landsdowne St., Boston, MA (Born & Bred Records)
* peaked at #25 on the Billboard 200
2011 - Going Out In Style (Born & Bred Records)
* peaked at #6 on the Billboard 200
2012 - Live At Fenway (Born & Bred Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2013 - Signed And Sealed In Blood (Born & Bred Records)
* peaked at #9 on the Billboard 200
2017 - 11 Short Stories Of Pain & Glory (Born & Bred Records)
* peaked at #8 on the Billboard 200
2021 - Turn Up That Dial (Born & Bred Records)
* peaked at #74 on the Billboard 200
2022 - The Machine Still Kills Fascists (Dummy Luck Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2023 - Okemah Rising (Dummy Luck Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
MY THOUGHTS ON DROPKICK MURPHYS:
Dropkick Murphys are a band that formed back in 1996, hailing from Quincy, Massachusetts, just outside of Boston. After dropping a few EP's, the band released their debut full length album, "Do Or Die", in 1998. This would be the only full length album to feature the band's original lead singer, Mike McColgan on vocals as he would leave the band in 1998. Al Barr, frontman for the band The Bruisers, would join the Dropkicks as their new lead singer and bassist Ken Casey would also take a more prominent role in lead vocals as well. The band's first album with Barr would be 1999's "The Gang's All Here". They would follow that up with 2001's "Sing Loud, Sing Proud". 2003's "Blackout" generated some success thanks in part to songs like "Walk Away" and "The Dirty Glass". The 2005 album "The Warrior's Code" would be certified gold and contained perhaps the band's most famous song, "I'm Shipping Up To Boston". Not only was that song featured throughout the movie "The Departed", it is also a staple at all of Boston's sporting events. In 2007, the band released "The Meanest Of Times". 2011's "Going Out In Style" would peak at #6 on the Billboard 200 charts, becoming the band's highest charting album to date. 2013 saw the release of "Signed And Sealed In Blood", featuring another stand out single by the band, "Rose Tattoo". "11 Short Stories Of Pain & Glory" was released in 2017 and followed up by "Turn Up That Dial" in 2021. In 2022, Al Barr took an indefinite hiatus from the band to care for his mother who was battling dementia. In 2022 and 2023 respectively, the Dropkicks put out two albums, "The Machine Still Kills Fascists" and "Okemah Rising" which were based off of lyrics and writings of Woody Guthrie. These would be the first albums without Al Barr on vocals since 1998. Most recently, the band released the single "Sirens" in 2024. Dropkick Murphys are legendary here in Boston, but they are also a pretty big deal all over the world. Early on, the band Rancid took the Dropkick's under their wing, even signing them to their own label, Hellcat Records. The Dropkick Murphys are synonymous with Irish pride and celtic punk. These guys ooze blue collar work ethic and firmly stand behind unions and the working class. They also take huge pride in being from and representing Boston and it's surrounding areas. There may not be one band more known for their hometown than the Dropkick Murphys, that's for sure. I'm from the Boston area, so yeah, I'm biased as hell! The Dropkick's rule and their lengthy music catalogue backs that statement up no doubt!
"It's Alright" appears to be a song about an ending relationship. The vocalist was clearly dumped by this girl and though there was lots of blame to share, the vocalist believes she will ultimately regret letting him go. I chose a live version of "It's Alright" for my song of the week. You can check out the original studio version on Useless ID's 2004 album "Redemption".
USELESS ID DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):
1995 - Hashsub (Falafel Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
1998 - Dead's Not Punk (Falafel Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
1999 - Get In The Pita Bread Pit (Falafel Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2001 - Bad Story, Happy Endings (Kung Fu Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2003 - No Vacation From The World (Kung Fu Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2004 - Redemption (Kung Fu Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2008 - The Lost Broken Bones (Suburban Home Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2011 - The Lost Broken Tunes Vol. 1 (Bullion Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2011 - The Lost Broken Tunes Vol. 2 (Bullion Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2012 - Symptoms (Fat Wreck Chords)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2016 - State Is Burning (Fat Wreck Chords)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2023 - Live In Tel Aviv (Double Helix Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
MY THOUGHTS ON USELESS ID:
Useless ID is an Israeli band that formed back in 1994. The band self-released their first couple album through their own label, Falafel Records. These albums were 1995's "Hashsub", 1998's "Dead's Not Punk" and 1999's "Get In The Pita Bread Pit". In 1996, vocalist and bassist Yotam Ben Horin joined the band and by 1999, he became the lead vocalist and chief songwriter. The first release that featured Yotam on vocals was a split EP with The Ataris called "Let It Burn". Kris Roe of The Ataris was one of the first major punk artists to take Useless ID under his wing. He is a big reason why Useless ID signed on with Kung Fu Records. The band released three albums through Kung Fu. 2001's "Bad Story, Happy Endings", 2003's "No Vacation From The World" and 2004's "Redemption". Tony Sly from No Use For A Name was another punk artist who really helped Useless ID along the way. He helped co-write and co-produce many of the tracks on "No Vacation From The World". If you listen to Useless ID, you can really hear the No Use influence in their songwriting. In 2008, the band released "The Lost Broken Bones". In 2012, the band signed a deal with Fat Wreck Chords where they released 2012's "Symptoms" and 2016's "State Is Burning". The band's most recent release was a live album called "Live In Tel Aviv" in 2023. Useless ID is a pop punk/skate punk type of band. They are not only heavily influenced by that mid 90's, southern California skate punk bands, they should be considered one of them, even though they are from Israel. As I said earlier, bands like The Ataris and No Use For A Name really championed Useless ID. I've seen Useless ID open for both of those bands and they were outstanding live shows. Useless ID's lead vocalist Yotam Ben Horin has been really focusing on his solo stuff for the last few years, hence why Useless ID hasn't released a new studio album of original material since 2016. Hopefully the live album the band put out a year ago will spark a fire under the guys to work on some new stuff.
Here's what 500 Miles To Memphis lead singer Ryan Malott had to say about "Everybody Needs An Enemy". "That’s the song on the album, it’s our rock opera,” he says, “that song kind of defines everything that we’ve been through. Drugs and alcohol, being on the road all the time. Just the guilt of being the bad guy. I know I’m a good person but there’s people out there who don’t like me. It’s the transition, the sobering up. You move on, you accept that a lot of people don’t have to like you.”
500 MILES TO MEMPHIS DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):
2005 - 500 Miles To Memphis (3rd Silo Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2007 - Sunshine In A Shot Glass (Deep Elm Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2010 - We've Built Up To Nothing (self-released)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2011 - Live At The Historic Southgate House (self-released)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2014 - Stand There And Bleed (self-released)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2018 - Revival (self-released)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2019 - Blessed Be The Damned (Paper + Plastick Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2021 - Hard To Love (Flat Aht Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
MY THOUGHTS ON 500 MILES TO MEMPHIS:
500 Miles To Memphis is a Cincinnati, Ohio band that formed back in 2003. Their debut full length studio album came out in 2005, called "500 Miles To Memphis". The band followed that up with 2007's "Sunshine In A Shot Glass". 2010 saw the band release "We've Built Up To Nothing" while in 2014, they dropped "Stand There And Bleed". In 2019, 500 Miles To Memphis put out the album that I first found out about the band, that album was "Blessed Be The Damned". Their most recent full length album would be 2021's "Hard To Love". 500 Miles To Memphis is a band that you just can't peg when it comes to a specific genre. They really go all over the place. You hear punk rock, bluegrass, country, rock-a-billy, cow-punk and even some celtic punk in their sound. It makes for a very intriguing listen for sure. While all of those styles aren't anything new, to hear them all come from one band, sometimes song to song, makes this band very interesting. They always keep you on your toes! I found out about these guys a little late. I saw the video for "Hold On Tight" and I instantly knew that I had to check out this band. I'm very glad I did as 500 Miles To Memphis is a super solid band!
SIMILAR ARTISTS:
Arliss Nancy
Chuck Ragan
Blacklist Royals
Brendan Kelly
Tumbledown
TEN 500 MILES TO MEMPHIS SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:
"No More" was inspired by a friend of Bryan McPherson's. It appears to be about someone who once had it all but has lost everything, or perhaps more like he threw it all away. At one point this man accepted his fate and just wanted to be left alone but by the end of the song, he realizes he doesn't want to die alone. It's a common story unfortunately. Alcoholism leads to homelessness leads to isolation.
BRYAN MCPHERSON DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):
2007 - Fourteen Stories (O.F.D. Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2012 - American Boy/American Girl (self-released)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2015 - Wedgewood (self-released)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2019 - Live Like A Motherfucker (self-released)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2019 - King's Corner (self-released)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2020 - Livestream 10/29/2020 (American Boy/American Girl Full Album Performance) (O.F.D. Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2022 - How To Draw Everything (O.F.D. Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2024 - Emigrant And The Winter Of Death (O.F.D. Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
MY THOUGHTS ON BRYAN MCPHERSON:
Boston's own Bryan McPherson got his start on the music scene sometime in the early 2000's. The proud Dorchester native's first full length album came out in 2007, called "Fourteen Stories". This was followed up by 2012's "American Boy/American Girl". 2015 saw the release of "Wedgewood". In 2019, McPherson released "King's Corner". This was the first time I heard Bryan McPherson and I instantly fell in love with the song "Ghost Of My Hometown". In 2022, he released "How To Draw Everything" and in 2024, he put out his most recent album, "Emigrant And The Winter Of Death", which was inspired by his time spent in Yellowstone. Bryan McPherson is a throwback to the prominent folk singers of the 60's like Bob Dylan. His roots however, are in the Boston punk scene where groups like Dropkick Murphys and The Ducky Boys took him under their wing. Bryan's songs are very personal and intimate and I'm very glad I found out about his music, be it a little late. I'm not so sure if I would have been so appreciative of his music in the early 2000's so maybe it worked out well that I found out about him so late. Thanks to guys like Chuck Ragan and Tim Barry, I really found love for these punk guys that started to play acoustic and i'd put Bryan McPherson right in with those guys who create such great songs. My only beef with him is he moved to L.A. in 2010! Come on man!! What ya leavin' Boston for dude!!
