Song Of The Week: 7/20/14

Song: "Version 2.0"

Artist: Staring Back

Album: "On"

Year: 2002



"Version 2.0" is a song that appears to be about the vocalist wanting to make a better version of himself. He wants to be motivated by creativity, not fearful that what he creates won't live up to expectations. He wants to stand up for himself and man up to confrontation, not shy away from it and be content to be in the same place all the time, the safe place. He basically doesn't want to be afraid to grow, to evolve. Staring Back formed as a band back in 1997, hailing from Goleta, California. There's not a whole lot of information out there about this underground pop/punk band but here's what I do know. In 1999, Staring Back self-produced their first EP, "The Mean Streets Of Goleta". This EP caught the ears of Lobster Records who worked out a deal with the band to distribute the album. In 2000, Lobster Records would release Staring Back's debut full length album, "Many Will Play". After a few line-up changes, mostly due to guys going back to school (the guys formed the band in high school, at this point some guys decided to go to college as the band was really making hardly any money), Staring Back released "On" in 2002. It was at this point that the band secured a spot on one of the small stages on the Warped Tour that year. The band filmed a video for the song "Version 2.0" off of "On", my song of the week! Currently, Staring Back doesn't appear to be making a comeback anytime soon. Since 2004, the band has been inactive and they did announce their break up on their PureVolume page. Their style was that of a pop/punk band, mainly in the same vein as bands such as Yellowcard, Riddlin' Kids and No Motiv. The band never quite crossed over as a band like Yellowcard did, nor did they have at least one credible hit as the Riddlin' Kids did. They just were another band in the pack that kind of got swallowed up. Some band members have found homes in other bands, most notably Yellowcard and Bayside. Other than that, the book is closed on Staring Back.

Song Of The Week: 7/13/14

Song: "Seems We're OK"

Artist: Chuck Ragan

Album: "Covering Ground"

Year: 2011



"Seems We're OK" is a song that appears to be about reflecting back on a life with someone that has been filled with pain, heartaches and regrets. I get a sense, however, that it is not a negative song, more like it is telling how no matter how bad those times were and the pain that they have been through, they are still here today, in the present. Now they can reflect on what they've been through and perhaps appreciate more where they are today. Chuck Ragan has been active in the music industry since 1993. Hailing from Gainesville, Florida, Ragan is probably best known as the frontman and guitarist for the band Hot Water Music. Hot Water Music has been active since 1993 and to date have released seven full length albums, three compilations, two live albums and more than twenty EP's and splits. Their most recent release was 2012's "Exister". Ragan got his first taste of the acoustic/folk buzz back in 1998 when he, Chris Wollard (also of Hot Water Music) and Samantha Jones released a series of EP's under the moniker Rumbleseat. All of these EP's and 7" recordings would be compiled into a cd called "Rumbleseat Is Dead" which was released in 2005. 2005 also proved to be a year of change for Ragan as Hot Water Music decided to go on a little hiatus from recording or touring. It was during this hiatus that Ragan really buckled down and focused on his solo career. In 2006, Ragan began releasing a series of singles, one per month which became known as "the 7-inch club". No Idea Records would eventually release all these singles in a compilation entitled "The Blueprint Sessions". Ragan also self-released a live album called "Live At The Troubadour that year as well. 2007 saw Ragan strike a deal with Side One Dummy Records and release his debut full length album "Feast Or Famine". That year he also released yet another live album called "Los Feliz". In 2008, Ragan released an album with Austin Lucas called "Bristle Ridge". Ragan's second studio album, "Gold Country", was released in 2009. That very same year saw Ragan appear on a split EP with Anderson Family Bluegrass as well as another live album called "Live From Rock Island: The Daytrotter Sessions". In 2010, Ragan appeared on yet another split release with Darren Gibson. 2011 saw Ragan release "Covering Ground". This album featured the single "Meet You In The Middle" which is a duet with The Gaslight Anthem's Brian Fallon. Ragan would appear on a four way split that year as well featuring himself, Sam Russo, Jimmy Islip and Helen Chambers. 2012 was a year that the focus and dedication was put back on Hot Water Music as the band released "Exister" and toured in support of that album. Ragan would get back to his solo thing by 2014, however, with the release of "Till Midnight". His fourth studio album would feature the singles "Something May Catch Fire", "Non Typical" and "You And I Alone". Currently, Ragan is doing several shows supporting "Till Midnight". Though I'm not sure if Chuck Ragan is the first punk rock vocalist to trade in his electric guitar for an acoustic and begin writing folksy, roots type songs, I'd argue he just does it the best. His raspy, powerful voice just lends itself to this new folk/punk genre that has seemingly been the new thing to do for punk vocalists lately. He is also the brain behind "The Revival Tours" which have been going on since 2008. Along with Ragan, some other notable artists that have appeared on these tours over the years have been Laura Jane Grace (Against Me!), Dave Hause (The Loved Ones), Brian Fallon (The Gaslight Anthem), Dan Andriano (Alkaline Trio), Kevin Seconds (7 Seconds) and Tim Barry (Avail) to name a few. The shows are like being at a campfire as several of the artists get on stage together during each other's sets making it a cool, sing-a-long type atmosphere. Whether with Hot Water Music or as a solo artist, Chuck Ragan is well respected in the punk rock world.

Song Of The Week: 7/6/14

Song: "3/4 Tango"

Artist: Polar Bear Club

Album: "Clash Battle Guilt Pride"

Year: 2011



"3/4 Tango" is a song that appears to be about wondering whether you made the right decisions in your life. Are you looking back on life and finding more and more that it's not what you thought it would be, or wanted it to be? The vocalist definitely harbors some regrets while reflecting on these things. At the same time, however, he or she does not appreciate others who try to tell them how to live their life or those who make comments on their situation. Those people that do that, to take advantage of someone else's problems, are the one's who need to look at themselves in the mirror instead of criticizing someone else's actions or inactions. Polar Bear Club formed as a band back in 2005, hailing from upstate New York. After recording a five song demo, the band caught the attention of Triple Attack Records who signed the band in 2006 and released the EP "The Redder, The Better". A buzz was being created by this demo and EP and in 2007, Polar Bear Club signed with Red Leader Records and released their debut full length album, "Sometimes Things Just Disappear". This album earned the band supporting slots on tours with The Gaslight Anthem, American Steel and A Wilhelm Scream to name a few. In 2009, Bridge Nine Records signed Polar Bear Club and released their second album, "Chasing Hamburg". This album featured the single "Living Saints". In 2010, Polar Bear Club earned a slot on the Hevy Music Festival in the United Kingdom. 2011 saw the band perform for the first time in Australia where they earned a slot on the famous Soundwave Festival. In 2011, the band also released their third full length album, "Clash Battle Guilt Pride". This album featured songs such as "My Best Days", "Killin' It" and "Screams In Caves". 2012 saw the band play both the Leeds and Reading Festivals in England. The band also released their very first live album, "Live At The Montage". This album was a live acoustic performance that was recorded for release. In 2013, the band released their latest album, "Death Chorus". This album featured the songs "WLWYCD", "Blood Balloon" and "Upstate Mosquito". Fans of the band may notice that on this album vocalist Jimmy Stadt's vocals are less raspy and more clear. Due to straining his voice on the road over the years, Stadt was forced to sing cleaner in order to hit certain notes and more importantly, to save his vocal chords. Currently, Polar Bear Club finished up 2013 on tour supporting "Death Chorus". There has been no talk as of the past couple of months that the band is working on new material or not. The band is pretty active though, so I suspect it won't be long to hear some new Polar Bear Club music in the near future. For fans of bands like The Gaslight Anthem, Lifetime, Hot Water Music, The Flatliners and The Menzingers, Polar Bear Club is a punk band with lots of similarties to those bands I've mentioned. Really solid band. I do wish Stadt's voice can get back to what it was before "Death Chorus" though. Only time will tell.

Song Of The Week: 6/29/14

Song: "I Believe Jesus Brought Us Together"

Artist: The Horrible Crowes

Album: "Elsie"

Year: 2011



"I Believe Jesus Brought Us Together" is a song that appears to be about two people who's past relationships were nothing but failures, but it's those failures that became their common connection with each other. The scars that they both had from the past prove to be their common ground. It is what makes them perfect for each other. The Horrible Crowes formed as a band in 2011, hailing from New Jersey. The band was formed by Brian Fallon and his guitar tech Ian Perkins. Fallon, of course, is better known as the singer, songwriter and rhythm guitar player for the New Jersey band The Gaslight Anthem, for which he has been playing and releasing music since 2005. But, where The Gaslight Anthem is kind of like Bruce Springsteen with a punk edge to it, The Horrible Crowes is more like Tom Waits. The band itself got it's name from the poem "Twa Corbies" or "two crows". The poem is a reflection of the darker side of life and that is what Fallon was trying to touch upon when forming The Horrible Crowes. He in fact called the songs on the album "hymns for lonely people". On June 21, 2001, the band previewed their first song, "Black Betty And The Moon" on their YouTube channel. About a month later on July 13, 2001, The Horrible Crowes released "Behold The Hurricane" as their very first single. On September 6, 2001, the band released their debut album "Elsie". Along with "Behold The Hurricane", the album also featured the single "Ladykiller". After doing some small scale touring, the band released the live CD/DVD, "Live At The Troubadour" in 2013. This live album featured a stripped down, soulful version of pop star Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream". Currently, The Horrible Crowes have been put on the backburner somewhat. Brian Fallon's baby was and will always be The Gaslight Anthem and that's where his main focus will always lie. They are due for a new album to be released by the end of summer/early fall of 2014 and i'm sure there will be a major tour to support that new album. Fallon also formed a folk band called Molly And The Zombies. Fallon did say that their is definitely a future for The Horrible Crowes however, and that band will definitely see the light of day at some point in the future. If you're a fan of The Gaslight Anthem and Tom Waits then The Horrible Crowes is the band for you. Their music and lyrics can be very dark, but all in all, a great side project from Mr. Fallon.

Song Of The Week: 6/22/14

Song: "Lost Continent"

Artist: Thrice

Album: "MySpace Transmissions" EP

Year: 2008



"Lost Continent" could have many meanings all wrapped into one. The most obvious being it's link with Atlantis, the "lost continent". It was a virtual utopia, just perfect in every way, but it's fate was sealed with the rising waters, basically drowning the island and all it's inhabitants. I think bigger picture, it's a warning to humanity about what could happen if you don't take care of each other and the environment. Life as we know it can be washed away as well, just like Atlantis. Also, if you know that lead singer, Dustin Kensrue, is very spiritual, the Biblical flood also can weigh into this song. "Lost Continent" originally appeared on Thrice's 2007 album "The Alchemy Index Vols. I & II". The version I chose to use is from the 2008 "MySpace Transmissions" EP. This song, plus all the songs on that EP, was recorded live and released exclusively through Itunes. Thrice formed as a band back in 1998, hailing from California. Kensrue and guitarist Teppei Teranishi formed the band when the two were still in high school. In 1999, the band self released "First Impressions", an EP that they basically sold out of the trunks of their cars. In 2000, Thrice released their debut album, "Identity Crisis" through Greenflag Records. In 2001, the band signed with Hopeless Records and released "The Illusion Of Safety" in 2002. This album allowed the band to embark on their very first headlining tour. In 2003, Thrice hooked on with major label, Island Records, and released "The Artist In The Ambulance". This album featured the singles "All That's Left" and "Stare At The Sun" and it's the album that really made the music world take notice of Thrice. In 2004, the band released the CD/DVD "If We Could Only See Us Now". This EP featured live recordings as well as some b-sides, including a ferocious version of The Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby". As 2005 approached, Thrice began to veer away from their early hardcore punk/melodic punk roots and became much more experimental. They released the album "Vheissu" which featured the singles "Image Of The Invisible" and "Red Sky", the latter which was released as an EP and featured live tracks and two unreleased tracks. Kensrue's writing was definitely featuring some Biblical and spiritual themes at this point as well, foreshadowing what was to come later on. 2007 saw Thrice sign with Vagrant Records and release "The Alchemy Index Vols. I & II: Fire & Water". This album debuted at #24 on the Billboard 200 charts. In 2008, the band released "The Alchemy Index Vols. III & IV: Earth & Air". Each volume of these albums focused on a different elements of nature. That very same year Thrice also released their very first live CD/DVD called "Live At The House Of Blues, which was recorded in Anaheim. 2009 saw the band release "Beggars". The band wanted this album to be more energetic and upbeat as they felt their previous few releases had a "sleepy" feeling to them. In 2011, "Major/Minor" was released, their eighth studio album. In 2012, Thrice announced that they were going on a hiatus but before they did they embarked on a farewell tour culminating in the release of "Anthology", which was a double disc live album spanning their entire career. Vocalist Dustin Kensrue began to focus on his spiritual studies and, in fact, became the worship leader at Mars Hill Church in Bellevue, WA, where he and his family moved. He would still release music, but it was worship music. Currently, the good news is that in a 2014 interview, Kensrue not only did not close the door on a Thrice reunion, he, in fact, stated the possiblility is very real. He talked of definite touring with the hope of creating new music as well. This is excellent news for any Thrice fan. Thrice, in my opinion, is one of the most important bands of the 2000's. Their songwriting and style made them stand out from the pack. They are a generous band, who has given proceeds from every one of their releases to various charities. I like a lot of bands, but Thrice may definitely be in my top 10!!

Song Of The Week: 6/15/14

Song: "Shit Outta Luck"

Artist: The Real McKenzies

Album: "Oot & Aboot"

Year: 2003



"Shit Outta Luck" is a song that appears to be about finding yourself in a situation that you can't get out of. It's a tongue in cheek kind of song about maybe being in a drunken stupor then waking up in the morning and finding yourself in a compromising position. It's a definite, "what the fuck did I do?" type of song where in the end, well, you're "shit outta luck"!! The Real McKenzies formed as a band back in 1992, hailing from Vancouver, Canada. Though the band gets lumped in with fellow celtic punk bands such as the Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly, they are, in fact, a Scottish punk band. In 1995, the band dropped their self titled debut album, "The Real McKenzies". This album featured several covers of traditional Scottish songs such as "Loch Lomond", "Skye Boat Song" and "My Bonnie". In 1998, the band released "Clash Of The Tartans" featuring the single "Mainland" as well as Scot cover songs, "Scots Wha' Ha'e" and "Auld Lang Syne". 2001 saw the band release their third album, "Loch'd & Loaded". In 2002, The Real McKenzies released their very first live album entitled "Pissed Tae Th' Gills". In 2003, "Oot & Aboot" was released featuring a cover of the traditional Scot song "Ye Banks And Braes". By 2005, The Real McKenzies signed up with legendary punk rock label Fat Wreck Chords and released "10,000 Shots". This album featured the Scottish cover "Farewell To Nova Scotia" as well as the song "Pour Decisions", one of the band's more popular songs. "Pour Decisions" is based on the same melody line as the famous Monty Python comedy sketch "The Lumberjack Song". In 2008, the band released "Off The Leash" which featured the singles "Chip" and "Drink Some More". 2010 saw The Real McKenzies release their second live album called "Shine Not Burn". This was an acoustic show that was recorded in a pub in Germany. In 2012, The Real McKenzies dropped their latest album, "Westwinds". This album featured the song "The Tempest" and "Barrett's Privateers", the latter which is basically a modern Canadian drinking song. Currently, as of December of 2013, The Real McKenzies have finished recording all the music for a new album and it is ready to be mixed and mastered so most likely, a new album should be on it's way either by the end of summer or the fall of 2014. There is a little misconception out there about The Real McKenzies that they jumped on the coattails of other Celtic punk bands like Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphys but the fact is that The Real McKenzies were a band some four or five years before those other to bands existed plus, as I said earlier, where the Dropkicks and Flogging Molly celebrate their Irish roots, The Real McKenzies wear their Scottish roots on their sleeves. Either way, if you are looking for a band to set the mood for having a great time, soaking up some brews in a local pub with your friends, well, The Real McKenzies can surely provide that soundtrack for you.

Song Of The Week: 6/8/14

Song: "No Regrets"

Artist: Ignite

Album: "A Place Called Home"

Year: 2000



"No Regrets". I'm not sure if Ignite frontman Zoli Teglas has children, but "No Regrets" seems to be a song about him feeling that he has missed too much, or not given enough of himself to them. He battles with this fact and vows to change. It seems like he doesn't want to have regrets in future years when he could have made the changes to himself which would prevent them from happening. Ignite formed as a band back in 1993, hailing from Orange County, California. The band was initially signed by Lost & Found Records and in 1994 released their debut album, "Scarred For Life". In 1995, the band released the EP "In My Time". This year also saw the band release "Family", which would later be distributed by Conversion Records under the new title, "Call On My Brothers". In 1996, Ignite released a split EP with Good Riddance. A compilation called "Straight Ahead" was also released that year and basically featured all of "In My Time" and select tracks from "Scarred For Life". Later in '96, the band released "Past Our Means", an EP through Revelation Records. 2000 saw Ignite have their biggest breakthrough commercially with the release of "A Place Called Home". Already having a melodic hardcore cult following, this album spread the band's appeal to a wider audience. 2006 saw the band release "Our Darkest Days" through Abacus Recordings. This album featured the single "Bleeding" as well as a cover of U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday". In the ten years between 2000 and 2010, recording and touring was a bit sporadic for Ignite, having only released two albums in that decade. In 2010, Zoli Teglas agreed to join legendary punk icons Pennywise after their lead singer Jim Lindberg decided to part ways with that band. In May of 2012, Pennywise released "All Or Nothing", the first and only album with Teglas featured on vocals. In the summer of 2012, "Our Darkest Days Live" was released, a DVD featuring live Ignite footage. By October of 2012, back issues were forcing Teglas to miss more and more Pennywise shows and eventually Lindberg rejoined Pennywise leaving Zoli to put his focus back on Ignite. Currently, as of 2014, Ignite is officially in the recording studio working on their long anticipated follow up to "Our Darkest Days". No release date has been released as of yet. If you are a fan of bands like Pennywise, Bad Religion and Good Riddance, then Ignite would be right in your wheelhouse. Much like those three bands, Ignite plays a melodic hardcore brand of punk rock with themes that take on various political and social issues. Looking forward to hearing new music from this solid and talented band.