Russian Circles / Pyramids

Justin: In a similar vein to one of the headmaster's recent picks comes Chicago's Russian Circles. An instrumental rock/post-rock/ambient/catch-phrase band that embraces the twinkling guitars of Sunny Day Real Estate and Texas is the Reason as much as the aggressive, crunchy guitars of many a pre-swedish-metal-craze metal band. In fact there's something about them that has a very Nick Menza/Dave Mustaine Rust In Peace-era Megadeth vibe to them. The band definitely works together as a unit, creating a nice musical mesh that keeps you listening, moving the melody along without having one person take the lead at all times with the drummer weaving what feel like afro-rhythmic inspired interludes between movements in the songs. Bands like this are good for the creative juices as the musicians' talent oozes out of your speakers and into your ears. Their album Enter "drops" (what does that even mean?) on the 16th of May and they'll be touring with Minus the Bear and Isis for a bit.

Russian Circles - Death Rides a Horse Russian Cirlces - Carpe Brian: Pyramids' Following the Tracks, Forcing Motion Through Phases may soon be recognized as one of the most important albums of its genre of the last 5 years. Combining bass-heavy screamo with post-rock textures, the Philadelphia, PA trio takes the listener on a train ride voyage lasting a mere 31 minutes in 7 passages, but through a lyrical subtext that dangles delicate metaphors and descriptive narration. It's haunting, beautiful, and generally mind-numbing. Find out more information at the website of the label that released the compact disc version just this past April 4th: Slave Union.

Pyramids - Stationed

Bad Rackets / Rollo Tomasi / Ignite

Adam: Texas keeps churning out excellent punk bands, and Austin's the Bad Rackets are no exception. The members of the powerpop / punk act have played with a number of acts like GG Allin, Killed By Florida, the Convulsions, the Lusties, Daddy's Drunk, Suburban Terror Project and Gun Crazy. Austin's own Mortville Records just recently released the full length Full On Blown Apart. Behold the snotty glory of "Couple Million Miles." If you're not singing along by the end of this song you're dead inside. Dead like Justin.

Bad Rackets - Couple Million Miles Bad Rackets @ MySpace Aubin: Their name is a L.A. Confidential reference and they come from Chicago; not a bad place to start. Think highly structured, very rhythmic hardcore drawing back to Helmet's pre-major label days and the Jesus Lizard's more restrained moments. They will be releasing their full length debut, Work Slow Crush Foes on Tuesday and you definitely ought to check them out.

You can check out two songs from the album on their myspace page.

Justin: I had always had the whisper of Ignite in my ear from a few friends, but never quite checked them out. Their upcoming record landed in my mailbox and has totally blown me away. Zoli's voice is completely original and his own, while still sounding familiar enough not to be off-putting, sounding as much like Smash-era Dexter Holland as it resembles Maynard from Tool in his more constrained moments. Combined with speedy melodic hardcore that has ample dynamics and inventives and some of the more insightful, politically charged lyrics I've heard lately have made this album a non-stop listener. Even the cover of U2 has me finger pointing. Two of the best tracks from the album are up at the band's myspace if you haven't heard them yet.

Ignite Myspace

Birdmonster / Exit the King / Modern Machines

Justin: Birdmonster are a local band to San Francisco that recently came my way via a friend at Launch:Commit after they posted an interview with them . It's some dancy, jangly indie-rock that's just enjoyable enough without feeling like it's going to annoy your face off. I'd liken it to a less electronic From Monument to Masses or an angrier, less jazzy Colossal. The band is preparing to release their new album A New Midnight and has tracks from it streaming at their Myspace page. "Cause You Can" combines that dancy rhythm that is making the tight-pantsed crowd swoon these days with a bit of raw energy that is infectious, while "Bar In The Back" has this weird galloping pace that has been stuck in my head for days.

Birdmonster at Myspace Birdmonster - The Resurrection Song Brian: I don't know why I let myself work 12 hours on some Fridays, but I do, and I could probably pass out comfortably on a pile of bloody syringes right now as a result. Austin, TX's Exit the King is basically the aural equivalent of the opposite of that feeling: complex math metal that takes from the Fall of Troy and early Dillinger Escape Plan for a nutty brand of go-get-'em rock. If you like this, there's another song streaming on their myspace page. Both are from a self-titled CD-R EP put out last year.

Exit the King - Carthorse Adam: I'm not remarkably informed about Milwaukee's Modern Machines, but they seem like a band whose name has been popping up here and there on the site for years now. Thankfully Dirtnap Records is on my radar and the more I hear about their new record Take It, Somebody the more I'm looking forward to it. Of course there's more than a heavy dose of Replacements / Hüsker Dü influence in the band's sound, but that's quite alright with me. There's something remarkably comforting about songs like "Flash Infatuation."

Modern Machines - Flash Infatuation

Sinking Ships / Mono / Billy Bragg

Brian: Sinking Ships' brand of melodic, positive hardcore is certainly starting to turn heads. Revelation picked up the band in December, and then California-based 6131 Records helped release the band's Meridian album within U.S. shores this past month (Run for Cover handled the initial release in Europe last year). The band frequently receives comparisons to recently defunct Seattle brethren Champion, and while these may be well-grounded, it seems as though Sinking Ships also take the Turning Point influence of Stay Gold's Pills and Advice and run with it full throttle. Meridian combines six newer tracks with the band's 2004 self-titled demo, and while the former surely stands out, the whole thing is worth more than a listen, as should the forthcoming full-length on Rev due in the summer. The band is currently out on the road with labelmates Shook Ones.

Sinking Ships - The Sound Aubin: In sharp contrast to the economical, short bursts of Brian's choice comes mine; one of my favorite bands and probably not something you'd expect. Japan's Mono is a band which manages to infuse the walls of sound of noise rock pioneers like Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine with the depth and orchestrations of classical music. It sounds weird, but the result is some truly beautiful and absolutely crushingly powerful music. They will be releasing You Are There soon and fans of Pelican, Isis, Mogwai, Explosions in the Sky or Envy should check them out.

Mono - The Flames Beyond the Cold Mountain Justin: Billy Bragg is an institution in my eyes. His fire and rage was stoked by the Clash in 1977 and molded by the man he calls "the first punk," Woody Guthrie. I was wandering around Archive.org's audio library searching for Joe Strummer bootlegs (hey, I am a music dork after all) and stumbled across this live set from 2003. The event was a Joe Strummer tribute and features Mr. Bragg performing fourteen tracks, including a few Clash covers. He also pauses the set to give a ten minute explanation of the what he feels the roots of Punk music are and tells his story of first seeing the Clash and working on the Mermaid Avenue project. The crowd participation, Bragg's unmistakable voice and the passion that comes through it have kept this in my rotation for quite a bit now. The files are in .Flac format, but there are converters available for Windows and OS X.

Billy Bragg - February 22nd, 2003, Joe Strummer Tribute in Southampton, England

Scarlet / Foot Foot

Brian: Finally, proof that you can play metalcore in the post-Botch vein and not write a lame record! Yes, we may've made the band an MP3 of the Week back in 2004, but their new effort bears mentioning as well. Scarlet's recent full-length on Ferret, This Was Always Meant to Fall Apart. is tightly played and certainly in that aformentioned's genre's area, but with gigantic-sounding, powerful drums, and when the band sings their choruses, it's not at all cheesy, but rather eerie and haunting, similar to Cave In or Worship-era Glassjaw. Here's a track from the album:

Scarlet - The Separation Of Justin: Described as a "tiny folk orchestra" Foot Foot are a surprise for sure. What sometimes sounds like atonal melodies and harmonies are half spoken and half sung over a mixture of traditional instruments and large amounts of bass guitar. The melodica makes appearances as do banjo and accordion to fill the small gaps that may appear. The band melds this all together into a cohesive offering that delivers in variety and substance. Their new album Snaggle and Buck will be released on Oedipus Records on April 4th. I wouldn't miss it if you're a fan of acts like Neko Case, Jolie Holland or just enjoy a strong vocal performance over inventive, relaxing folk backdrops.

Foot Foot - "Criminal Wealth" Foot Foot - "Out of the Sand"

Airbag - chosen by Teenage Bottlerocket

This week's Mp3 of the Week pick comes from Teenage Bottlerocket. The band released Total last year, which blew me away, so they must have some decent taste in music. The boys from Laramie, Wyoming continue our guest spots with their choice of Airbag, from southern Spain.

Teenage Bottlerocket
Teenage Bottlerocket was lucky enough to play a few shows in Spain this past holiday season. One of our shows was in Castellon with the Prototypes. After the show was over everyone was hanging out drinking and dancing, and TBR can hang with a little dancing, so we stuck around. They were playing all kinds of punk rock bands we had never heard of, but there was one band in particular that stood out to us that night called Airbag. They're a punk rock trio from southern Spain and here's their tune that grabbed us that night: "Roswell 1947."

Airbag - Roswell 1947 Airbag on Myspace

Pastepunk

In a fit of insanity, no doubt induced by all of that curling that recently went on, I've been handed the reins of the Mp3 of the Week section here at Punknews.org. And what better way to do something than to not do it? I've always loved delegating, so instead of spending the time to hunt down songs and bands, I ask other people to do it for me!

The first in what I hope to be a weekly series of guests is the ever-beautiful staff of Pastepunk. Led by Jordan A. Baker, esq, they've picked an assortment of bands and songs that demand your attention, at least for sampling's sake.

Curious as to what they've picked for you, our viewing public?

No Idols / The Sw!ms

Brian: We recently posted a review of No Idols' great album, Low (Swing the Pyramid Hands), but I don't think it quite got the attention it deserves. No Idols bring furious hardcore with a methodical, manipulated wall of sound, an ever-so-slight metallic edge and plenty of ambition to a sometimes stale style. Released this past January on the Hex, check out some MP3s here:

No Idols - Belief No Idols - Science and Witchcraft Justin: We recently posted some information about The Sw!ms, a side project of Phillip Price from An Albatross. To be honest I pretty much ignored it until John from Mammoth Press recommended them to me. Like many other indie-rock bands floating around, the Beatles influences are heavy, generally being mixed with a healthy dose of garage rock revivalist recording and energy put into "Vermillion Archer". There's what appears to be some Hammond organ (or straight Synths) to be found alongside some sugary sweet vocals and straightforward guitar riffs. Not necessarily my usual listening fare, but on a sunny day sometimes you need something that fits the mood.

The Sw!ms - We Need Lava The Sw!ms - Depth Charge The Sw!ms - Vermillion Archer

Bookends

Bookends hail from Santa Cruz, where the wind blows strong off the ocean and the summer days make me want to evacuate the big city. Driving down Route 1 from San Francisco, you pass through Pacifica, then wind your way through mountainous cliffs overlooking the sea and you get this sense of there being more, just beyond your reach. It's heartening and can bring your whole body and mind a sense of relief that I truly haven't felt elsewhere. When listening to the Bookends, especially their new album A Hook For Every Fish In the Sea, it's the same feeling. This is folk, without the punk. Well, mostly. A mixture of guitars, violin and drums, the arrangements vary from sparse, airy cliffside poems to upbeat dance songs with a hint of Irish flavor and can wind back around to well thought out dirges. I'm very impressed by these guys, and would recommend their new CD from Fall Of The West Records.

Bookends - Whiskey and Wine Bookends - Songs About Hunger Bookends - Straight In Bookends - Give Up

Encrypt Manuscript

Brian: I just returned home from a mostly enjoyable show that had With Honor in the headlining slot and This Is Hell in the support, not to mention a thrown-on assortment of mosh metal bands. However, randomly stuck between WH and TIH's sets were a few songs from locals Encrypt Manuscript. While a crowd made up of hardcore and metalcore fans may not have been the best audience for the band, I was damn near blown away by their jazz / funk / indie rock hybrid with influences seemingly running the gamut from Joan of Arc (instrumentally) to the Blood Brothers (vocally) to the Nation of Ulysses (musically). With beat poetry preceding and/or connecting songs in the set and little crowd acknowledgement until the last song, they were running the pretension meter up pretty high, but I didn't mind; it was art trash at its finest, and I was loving every second of it.

These songs don't quite capture the raucous, experimentative nature of their live setting, but it's the closest you can get. The first is taken from a self-titled 7", and the latter 2 from an earlier EP entitled Dialogues. Both are available on Tone Library.

Encrypt Manuscript - Knife Fight at the Blind Tiger Encrypt Manuscript - Riot Cop Fox Trot Encrypt Manuscript - How Do You Syllabicate Your Name?