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!! :)
"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!
"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.
"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.
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.
"Choke" appears to be a song about being caught in the trap of an alcohol soaked depression. It seems like the vocalist is using alcohol to either forget or to soothe life's problems. The thing is, however, is that the problems never go away. So it's just a vicious cycle of trying to numb the pain.
JASON DEVORE DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):
2006 - Conviction (Operation Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2011 - Conviction 2: The Crooked Path (Operation Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2019 - Conviction III; The Road To Clarity (Operation Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
MY THOUGHTS ON JASON DEVORE:
Jason DeVore has been making music on the punk scene since 1994. The Mesa, AZ native of course is best known as the frontman for the band Authority Zero. With Authority Zero, DeVore has released eight full length studio albums to go along with three live acoustic albums since 1994. In the band's downtime, DeVore has managed to put together a little solo career. Starting in 2006, DeVore released his first solo album, "Conviction". He would follow that up in 2011 with the release of "Conviction 2: The Crooked Path". DeVore's most recent solo release would be 2019's "Conviction III: The Road To Clarity". As I said earlier, DeVore's main focus is, and always has been his band Authority Zero. While Authority Zero's style is a mesh of skate punk, reggae punk and some folk punk, his solo style is much more in a stripped down state, acoustic guitars, etc. DeVore is a fantastic songwriter and that shows both in his solo work and with Authority Zero. He also put out a Celtic punk type album with a band called The Bollox which is also really good. Authority Zero is one of my favorite bands so I get amped anytime Jason DeVore puts out anything. Dude's a beast!!
"The Barber's Unhappiness" is based on the short story by George Saunders "The Barber's Unhappiness". Its about this old-ish barber who still lives with his "Ma" and often stares at younger girls and like makes up scenarios with these women in his head but never approaches them because they'll just think he's a creepy old man.
THE MATCHES DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):
2003 - E. Von Dahl Killed The Locals (Epitaph Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2006 - Decomposer (Epitaph Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2008 - A Band In Hope (Epitaph Records)
* peaked at #179 on the Billboard 200
2009 - The Matches Album 4, Unreleased; Graphics? Title? Or Not Needed? (xlocalsmusic)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2014 - 10YearsEVDKTL (Live) (self-released)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2016 - Recomposer (Live) (self-released)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
2020 - Aband1nhOpe (Live) (self-released)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
MY THOUGHTS ON THE MATCHES:
The Matches got their start back in 1997, hailing from Oakland, CA. Originally, the band was called The Locals but a Chicago band of the same name threatened a lawsuit against them so they changed their name to The Matches. The band's debut album had the tongue in cheek titled, "E. Von Dahl Killed The Locals". The Chicago band The Locals was led by frontwoman Yvonne Doll, hence the funny title. This album caught the ear of legendary punk rock label Epitaph who promptly signed the band and re-released their debut album. The band's sophomore effort would be 2006's "Decomposer". This album showed a shift in style musically. While at their core, The Matches were a pop punk band, but "Decomposer" saw them explore different sounds. Their next release, 2008's "A Band In Hope" would shift their sound even further, showing some experimental elements in their sound. In 2009, there was some internal conflicts within the band and the members decided they were going on a hiatus. They would release a b-sides and bonus track compilation called "The Matches Album 4, Unreleased; Graphics? Title? Or Not Needed?". In 2014, the band reunited to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of "E. Von Dahl Killed The Locals" by playing some live shows and releasing the live album, "10YearsEVDKTL". They would do the same thing for "Decomposer" in 2016, releasing the live album "Recomposer" and again in 2016, dropping "Aband1nhOpe", a live release celebrating the 10 year anniversary of "A Band In Hope". In 2020, a documentary was released about the band called "Bleeding Audio". As I said earlier, The Matches sound is based in pop punk but they developed more and more experimentally with each album they released. I think those changes made them a rather unique sounding band. In fact, it took me a little while to really appreciate this band. I kinda dug their pop punk beginnings but some of the newer stuff took a little while to grow on me. If you ask me now, I think "Wake The Sun" is my favorite song by the band. It's such a great song! The Matches haven't done any new material since 2008/2009 but they have still toured, especially celebrating those 10 year anniversary's of their albums. I'm not sure if they consider themselves an "active" band at this point however.
Can't find the lyrics to "The Catalyst" anywhere on the net so I'm not totally sure what the song is about exactly, The definition for catalyst is a person or thing that precipitates an event or change so take that for what it's worth. I assume who he's singing about in the song is the "catalyst" for something.
THE PURPS DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):
2010 - Music Is Dead (self-released)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
* released when band was called Purple Nightmare
2013 - Melodrama Radio (Machete Bomb Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
* released when the band was called Purple Nightmare
2017 - Let's Re-Tox (Machete Bomb Records)
* did not chart on the Billboard 200
MY THOUGHTS ON THE PURPS:
The Purps formed as a band back in 2010, hailing from Michigan. Originally, the band went under the name Purple Nightmare. Their debut album was called "Music Is Dead". I'm not l00% sure if the album was released in 2010, 2011 or 2012. I think it can only be found on the band's website. Their second album, "Melodrama Radio, was released in 2013. By the end of 2013, beginning of 2014, the band officially began calling themselves The Purps. The first album released as The Purps was 2017's "Let's Re-Tox". That album is also the band's most recent release. I guarantee I found out about The Purps through the DyingScene blog. They are just a straight forward punk rock band. "Let's Re-Tox" is a pretty solid album so these guys have some chops for sure. There has been no word as to whether they are going to release new music but they have played live shows as recently as 2023 so they're still kicking! Perhaps something is on the horizon.. hopefully!
