I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead by Vegas Is North (Self-released EP)

Based out of Fresno, CA area, Vegas Is North is a pop punk band who clearly possesses a knack for super infectious and highly memorable tunes. I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead is their second EP to date, featuring four energetic songs sure to gain the band a good deal of attention. Fans of acts such as Yellowcard and New Found Glory will feel they’ve hit the jackpot when encountering what Vegas Is North has to offer. They band has opened for the likes of Hawthorne Heights and Allstar Weekend, as well as has played all of the prestigious Sunset Strip haunts. Their studio recordings easily catch the energy they convey in a live setting and are well worth seeking out.

I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead kicks off with the lively sounds of Parking Lot Kings, an exhilarating track that has hit single potential written all over it. The wonderfully titled People Freak Me Out continues on with the big and glorious choruses, and is sure to inspire sweeping sing-alongs when performed live.

Rollin’ is a gigantic anthem about “getting out of this town,” – a vibrant tune that will make you want to take on the world – complete with empowering gang vocal. And then closing out the disc is the sweet rockin’ strains of Not Easy, a burst of exuberance that will leave the listener wanting to hear a whole lot more.

It’s safe to bet that we’ll be hearing a lot more from Vegas Is North within the New Year. The Vegas Is North power trio consists of Chris Mehrtash on vocals / guitar, Matt Stolling on bass, and Jamie Munro on drums. Looking forward to hearing new material from this band. It would be great to see them on a show like Warped Tour as well…

(Review by Kenneth Morton)

Vegas Is North on Facebook

DVD ANTHOLOGY by Less Than Jake (Sleep It Off Records)

The Cure did it with their DVD called Trilogy. I am a big supporter of bands performing their albums in their entirety, as it’s a unique experience from both the band’s and their fans to enjoy. Oh sure Less Than Jake throw in some extra footage and couple extra songs on this four disc set. But here is a true way to really get to see the band function and play these CD in order. Less Than Jake played all six of their full-length albums from front to back over the course of six days at three different venues in their home state of Florida. Then the performances were documented on film. It may have taken awhile, but the shows are now available on the band’s new DVD set, Anthology. Enjoy and see how ska is really done and done well on here live.

(Review by Jonathan D. Wright)

Domesplitter by Direct Hit! (Kind Of Like Records)

A little reference to background for how this CD came to be. The band cut a series of 5 EPs that they gave away for free. First on their own they gave them away and then later on gave them away through Death To False Hope Records. The ten tracks on Domesplitter were then culled from those releases, then voted on by fans and re-recorded in the studio by the band’s current roster.

“Fuck you! Get pumped!” is the band’s rallying cry right off the bat from the record. Once singer/guitarist Nick Woods shouts these four words seconds into the album you know you are getting yourself into fast fun. Lyrically speaking the songs are easy to follow which allows you to go slamming in the punk pop frenzy anywhere this band performs.

The subject matter if you listen closely ranges from such topics as love to zombie attacks, and everything in between.   So if your looking to get pumped up and fast soar around and you like the sounds of The Loved Ones and Dillinger Four then give this band from Milwaukee, WI a spin in your CD players and turn it up for your neighbors too just for the punk fun of it.

(Review by Jonathan D. Wright)

Direct Hit! on Facebook

Diggin’ Deep by Sassy!!! (Good Trouble Records)

Diggin’ Deep is 13 tracks of primal, guitar chuggin rock’n'roll with tough and sexy vocals. Sassy!!! (don’t forget the three !!!’s) is the Bay Area duo of drummer/singer Kitty Largewood (aka Christa DiBiase of Girlband) and guitarist/singer Trixie Delicious (aka Lynda Mandolyn of Fabulous Disaster). The ladies know how to rock in a non-self-conscious way, plowing through girl-group longing for love melodies splashed with a bit of Sweet and a dash of The Runaways. It is the dual and singular lead vocals that really attract the ears to Sassy!!!’s simple rocking formula.

Some of the more memorable moments on Diggin’ Deep are the bubblegum of So Bad it’s Good and the angry distorted guitars of You Can Have Him. Be Alright slows down the pace with echoed desert wind guitars and a lovely vocal duet.

(Review by Bret Miller)

THE ABSOLUTE WORST EP by MAN OVERBOARD (Rise Records)

Rise Records has been signing some pretty terrific post hardcore bands lately, and with the addition of Man Overboard from New Jersey, the label may now add a thoroughly impressive melodic pop/punk band to their roster of talent.

Man Overboard’s big debut release for Rise will be a 2-song 7’ inch cleverly titled The Absolute Worst EP. Don’t let the title fool you though, the duo of tunes contained within are as infectious as hell and just what the rock doctor ordered until the band’s debut full length arrives sometime this Fall.

Those into the East Coast music scene may already be familiar with the rollicking melodies of previous Man Overboard entries. Fortunately The Absolute Worst EP will satisfy both their prior fans as well as new converts hungry to slam it up in pits across the nation.

“Girls like you are the absolute worst,” the super catchy chorus rings out gleefully on the EP’s wondrous title track. This is a song that is guaranteed to be a big hit at live shows, and it surely demonstrates just how remarkably tight and creatively resourceful these musicians are.

And then there’s the B-side, the cleverly titled I Saw Behemoth and It Ruled, an “Electric” version of an previously released track that is pure pop punk excellence. Not sure what this band would be doing at a show featuring the Polish blackened death metal sensations known as Behemoth, but this rockin’ anthem about a relationship gone very wrong is ear candy for music aficionados from all walks of life.

For those wanting to hear the jangly musical commotion of Man Overboard in a live setting, the band will be touring across the country throughout March and April on the PMA Tour – joining the likes of Sense Fail, The Ghost Inside, and fellow Rise recording artists Transit. In the meantime, don’t be surprised to find The Absolute Worst EP stuck on repeat within the electronic entrails of your IPOD.

The Man Overboard lineup consists of Zac on vocals and guitar, Nik on vocals and bass, Justin on guitar, and Mike on drums. Fans of entities such as New Found Glory, Jimmy Eat World, and The Starting Line are sure to meet a new favorite when pursing the sonic delights of Man Overboard.

(Review by Kenneth Morton)

Man Overboard on Facebook

BROKEN SYSTEM by WAGES OF FEAR (Bite Me Records/Give Praise Records)

With this first hardcore punk thrash release, Wages Of Fear has already gained attention in the support of college radio in Santa Barbara. Considering that this band is from Ventura, California, it’s not the high from the waves at the beach but instead how fast and how hard they can play their songs is what is turning heads and ears towards them in droves.

With tracks like Egg McMuffins, Fritos And Bean Dip, No Drama, Corporate Corruption and Positive Spin, the band has plenty of songs to make music videos with. The thrashing punk style from this band shows that they mean definite business. Also what’s great is that you get 15 songs on this CD. So it’s worth the money to get this album. This is pure hardcore punk rock thriving faster and faster.

This band can play with the hardcore punks or with the early fast style punks or even with the garage style street kids new punks easily. The streets and alleys are heating up from Wages Of Fear. They are currently working on a second release due out soon. They will be doing some Southern California shows soon so keep an eye out for them.

(Review by Jonathan D. Wright)

Wages Of Fear on Myspace

TV/EP by LESS THAN JAKE (Sleep It Off Records)

The fun side of Less than Jake is back. Less Than Jake is a pop/punk ska force to be reckoned with yet again. Guitarist/vocalist Chris Demakes, bassist/vocalist Roger Manganelli, drummer/lyricist Vinnie Fiorello, trombonist Buddy Schaub and saxophonist Peter “JR” Wasilewski) take us through a collection of favorite TV show theme songs and commercial jingles with this latest release.

Shows theme songs from Different Stokes, Scooby Doo and Malcolm In The Middle are covered on here. But so is Animaniacs and Spongebob Squarepants. Hilariousness mixed up with ska music is a fun twist to the usual way of listening to these theme songs. So for a good time go find this EP and have a few laughs with it. With being just over 11 minutes, you’ll want to have this play a few times or over and over again to keep the funny trip going, but try to not get too drunk with this – you might spill something.

There are a couple of newer gems on here to including the opening track Icarly and the closing track Free Credit Report.

Catch Less Than Jake out tour beginning February 21st at The House Of Blues in Anaheim. So see them near you soon. They’ll also be releasing reissues of Losing Streak and Hello Rockview on March 1st. Expanded physical packaging will include a live DVD. So you can see them live near you at a show and on a DVD soon. Ska is back!

(Review by Jonathan D. Wright)

Less Than Jake on Facebook

DIATRIBE OR DIE! EP by LATIN FOR TRUTH (Mightier Than Sword Records)

Combine the fierce aggression of Rise Against with the melodious sounds of New Found Glory, and you are just beginning to imagine the stunning positive punk rock anthems that Latin For Truth has to offer. Based out of Scottsboro, Alabama, Latin For Truth has just unleashed a new collection of tunes entitled the Diatribe Or Die! EP – and it’s bound to garner the band a good deal of notice. Heartfelt and inspiration, the six tracks found within will make you feel like you could take on the world at large.

The EP kicks off with a recorded message of encouragement from a friend, and then burst into the wondrously frenetic strains of Mexicaine De Perforation. One feels instantly the liberation found within the music, whether it be the jangling guitar work, dynamic rhythm section, or deeply felt vocals.

No Love Lawst is up next, an explosive concoction of melodic punk that will make you want to dive head first into the nearest circle pit. Social Adrift, Physically In Tune is a slamming rocker that is a thrill to the senses. 88 Says is a standout cut with its layered vocals and brilliant sense of personal triumph.

Natural Tailor Of Natural Joy has a Jawbox/Smoking Popes vibe that is positively endearing. The disc closes with the rambunctious hyper blast of Phuckette Motorsports, a dazzling conclusion that will leave the listener wanting to hear a whole lot more.

The dynamic Latin For Truth lineup consists of Charles Hastings on guitar/vocals, Zack Venable on guitar, Tom Lovejoy on bass/vocals and Corey Killough on drums. In the grand DIY hardcore punk tradition, a bright and glorious future is surely in store for the collective known as Latin For Truth. Highly recommended!!!

(Review by Kenneth Morton)

Latin For Truth on Facebook

HI-FIVE SOUP! by THE AQUABATS! (Fearless Records)

It’s been some time since Charge!!, the fifth sonic adventure of The Aquabats! was unleashed. Since that time, the band has played Warped Tour, opened for Blink 182, and has changed record labels. Front man Christian Jacobs (aka The MC Bat Commander) also participates in the award winning children’s show Yo Gabba Gabba! The band also secured the services of Ian Fowles from Death By Stereo, who taken on the identity of Eagle “Bones” Falconhawk.

Now in the very first month of 2011, the Orange County based super heroes present their sixth full-length epic entitled Hi-Five Soup! 12 fun loving tracks of melodic punk and new wave abound, and there are instant classics to be heard and revered by both their older fans as well as newer converts. Produced with skilled precision by Cameron Webb (Motorhead, Social Distortion, Pennywise), Hi-Five Soup! is a good deal of fun for music fans of all ages.

Hi-Five Soup! kicks it into high-flying gear right away with The Shark Fighter! – a track clearly demonstrating The Aquabats! at the very height of their rambunctious zaniness. B.F.F.! is an infectious jam that should have their fans singing along when performed in a live setting. The Legend Is True! recalls the sounds of the very great Wall Of Voodoo, and is sure to set punker pits into the stratosphere.

Radio Down! is a skankin’ standout, featuring the grand participation of the one and only Biz Markie. And then there’s the warm fuzzy party anthem Hey Homies!, featuring the lyrics “We don’t need no thugs unless those thugs were giving out hugs” and a solid beat that will make you want to shake that booty. Another grooving guest appearance comes in the form of Strong Bad (Mark Chapman) from the Internet flash cartoon Homestar Runner, performing on the rocking Pink Pants!

Other tracks that should find a home within the madcap hearts of Aquabat fans include In My Dreams!, All My Money! (Uh-oh, Uh-oh, Whoopsie), Food Fight On The Moon!, or just about any cut on this thrilling new effort.

The Aquabats! are celebrating their big 16th year in existence, and judging by what’s heard on Hi-Five Soup!, there is no stopping The MC Bat Commander and his superhero cohorts. Hi-Five Soup! is a rowdy celebration of a sound that continues to place the OC on the map where musical legends reside and continue to prosper. A definitive good time for all!

(Review by Kenneth Morton)

The Aquabats! Official Homepage

THE DISSENT OF MAN by BAD RELIGION (Epitaph Records)

If you want to listen to Brett Gurewitz’s songwriting skills, with Brooks delivering righteous drumming, having Brian Baker pounding out his best guitar licks, with Hetson and Jay being cool as always…and Greg Graffin flex out his vocal and intellectual might, then this is for you. If you count Back To The Known this makes for Bad Religion their 16th release. With absolute unwavering beliefs, political, financial knowledge and relationships the bands anger still pushes their punk influences further.

Some songs on here show a softer side to their 30 years being in the business, but maybe they’re exploring playing around with new territory just like they did with Recipe For Hate. This is the most personal record this band has ever made. The money maker on here for the standard hard core punk is the song Someone to Believe with it’s fist wave that roars along with the speed of light that puts crowds into frenzies. The band might be growing up and bring up children and getting masters or PhD’s degree’s from UCLA, but they can still relate to youth and it’s needs to rants and get pissed off and challenge the righteous government.

(Review by Jonathan D. Wright)