Milemarker / Isis / The Lido Venice

Scott: The beauty of an iPod [especially a free one; and don't forget free flat screen TVs!] is hitting the shuffle button and re-discovering some amazing tunes. Take, for example, this sweet jam from Milemarker. This song is taken from their 1998 Lovitt release Frigid Forms Sell, later re-released by Jade Tree. It's before the band went on their operatic speedbump with Anaesthetic or their plain ol' bland speedbump with Satanic Versus. What you have here is a killer rock song, plain and simple. I can't even begin to count the number of bands nowadays who rip this style off:
Milemarker - Sex Jam 2: Insect Incest Aubin: Isis is definitely unlike anything else. They certainly start from the same place as Neurosis, with a focus on progressive post-hardcore, but their emphasis on sweeping, expansive songwriting and hypnotic melodies is unparalleled. They have a new record, Panopticon, which is due out this October, but this track comes from their epic Oceanic:
Isis - False Light Brian: A couple of you, if that, may remember me gushing about The Lido Venice after seeing the decidedly indie rock outfit play an otherwise hardcore fest in a Norton, Massachusetts gymansium back in late February. Well, in April [give or take], the band signed with ECA Records and released the Songs Written Around The Campfire In The Belly Of A Whale EP shortly thereafter [review coming soon]. Named after a popular New England speakeasy that flourished during Prohibition, the band's raw, Cursive-like/Saddle Creek-influenced sound carries so much potential it sickens me. Checking it out now means you can say you hated The Lido Venice before it was cool to.
The Lido Venice - Dig Those Heels The Lido Venice - Dancing Our Duress

The Spades / The New Breed / The Honorary Title

Adam: Go Kart Records recently released the full length Learnin' The Hard Way from Eindhoven, Holland band The Spades. It has a really sleazy, fast dirty rock'n'roll vibe. Something like Motorhead fronted by Dicky Barrett with a Nation Of Islam worldview. I'm not quite sure what that means but it's pretty rockin' stuff.
The Spades - Who Da Man?
You can find more info at Go Kart or the band's website.

Adam [2]: Halifax based The New Breed are releasing their sophomore record on Thorp Records in October. You can check out our review of the band's previous record Port City Rebels now. Here the first track made available by the label:
The New Breed - The Smoking Gun
For more info, hit up Thorp or the band's website.

Brian: I caught Doghouse duo The Honorary Title last night opening the Nightmare of You gig on Long Island, and their relatively mellow, Weakerthans-esque almost-folky rock with two scoops of melancholy impressed me. I picked up their recently released debut full-length Anything Else But The Truth that night, and continue to be impressed by what critics are liberally comparing to the late Jeff Buckley.
The Honorary Title - Bridge And Tunnel
See the band or label's official website for more info.

Muse / Burnthe8track

Scott: There's a reason the new Muse record, Absolution, has been on virtually every band's and critic's "what I'm listening to" list this year thus far; it's because this record is the best record of 2004 thus far, hands down. Many thanks to Kevin Wade for opening my eyes to this unbelievably talented English trio. It's so hard to pick a favorite song off the record, but here's definitely one of the better ones. There must be something in naming your song "Stockholm Syndrome" that guarantees it's going to destroy:
Muse - Stockholm Syndrome
For more info on Muse, go to Muse.mu. And please, Warner Bros. Records, don't sue me for posting this. I'm just trying to help.

Adam: Burnthe8track are a four piece from Winnipeg, Manitoba. The band recently released their debut full length The Ocean on Abacus Recordings, from which the track "Two Worlds Apart" comes. It's really energetic, dynamic punk rock, decidedly modern but not suffering from the usual weaknesses of the "new-school" class.
Burnthe8track - Two Worlds Apart
You can find out more at Abacus Recordings or the band's website.

The Velvet Teen / Mastodon / Bedouin Soundclash

Scott: I don't get how people can't be moved by music this compelling and beautiful. Here's two tracks off The Velvet Teen's new album, Elysium [review]:
The Velvet Teen - A Captive Audience The Velvet Teen - Forlorn
For more info on The Velvet Teen, go to TheVelvetTeen.com or Slowdance.com.

Aubin: In what will likely be a pretty sharp contrast to Scott's selection, I've picked a track from the upcoming record Leviathan from Mastodon; it's hard to really put my finger on the genre this band plays, but it certainly straddles hardcore, hard rock and there is certainly a tech-metal influence as well. It's probably a little different than what you're normally into - I felt the same way - but it's quite intruiging and worth a listen.
Mastodon - Blood and Thunder Adam: …and in sharp contrast to both of the above… Bedouin Soundclash put on one of the best performances at the Toronto Warped tour date. I was lucky enough to catch their set from the side of the stage and it was incredible to see their crowd of curious onlookers grow larger and larger as time went on. The band's soulful dub / reggae had many a punker dancing and singing along. As the Kingston Ontario band wrapped up their set, tour head (and closet Bedouin fanatic) Kevin Lyman strolled onto stage and asked them to keep playing to the delight of the crowd. Here's the single from their latest full length Sounding A Mosaic [review], recorded with Darryl Jennifer of Bad Brains:
Bedouin Soundclash - When The Night Feels My Song

The Zutons / Old Man Gloom

Scott: Before Thursday, I had never heard of The Zutons. After Thursday, when their debut record Who Killed… landed on my desk, I'll never forget them. This record is flat-out amazing rock and roll music. Very dirty and gritty, ala an English version of the Constantines. Their record is already out in England, and will see a release on this side of the pond October 19, courtesy of Epic. Here's my favorite track off the record, "Pressure Point." Note the impeccable use of a saxophone:
The Zutons - Pressure Point
For more info on the Zutons, go to TheZutons.co.uk or TheZutonsUSA.com.

Aubin: Ok, this band has people from Isis, Cave In, and Converge and it sounds a little bit like each of them, but then again, it really doesn't. Their upcoming Tortuga Recordings release Christmas, features thirteen tracks which revolve around a combination of fast, brutal tracks, interspersed with dark, droning interludes. On the other hand, it's possible that the fast angry tunes are the interludes and the ambient bits are the band. I suppose it's both, or possibly neither.
Old Man Gloom - Skullstorm

Detonations

The Alive / Disaster / BOMP camp has released some very cool records this year and Detonations' Static Vision is one of my favourites. Detonations are a three piece from New Orleans featuring Julien Fried and John Henry from Sex Hunter and Keith from The Drags. There's no bassist in the band, with Henry covering the low end with a "Fender Tele with bass strings hooked into a bi-amp system, splitting the bass and guitar tones." These recordings are from a session with Jerry Teel (Boss Hogg, Yeah Yeah Yeahs):
Detonations - Feel It Detonations - Speakereater

Death From Above

Adam: Death From Above are a Toronto based two piece, made up of vocalist / drummer Sebastien Grainger and Jesse F. Keeler on bass / synth. The two are one half of Toronto's Femme Fatale and just signed to Vice Records in the US and Last Gang in Canada for the release of their upcoming album You're A Woman, I'm A Machine. Here's the lead song from their Romantic Rights EP, that was released earlier this year by LA's Sound Virus Records.
Death From Above - Romantic Rights Death From Above will be playing a show this week on the 6th in Missassauga at Kinsmen Hall, followed by a gig on Toronto Island the next day with Broken Social Scene, The Constantines and many more.

Scott: Unfortunately I've sworn off music this week [actually, that's not true, but the things I've been listening to are things that can't be put up here for MP3 purposes without me getting scolded by big scary major labels], but I do return with a familiar plea: get this shit out of my apartment. A number of you sent me envelopes which I henceforth stuffed with CDs, posters, records, stickers, and god knows what else, but here's the thing - more stuff keeps coming in. I now have a bunch of t-shirts, more CDs, dozens of new stickers… it's seemingly never-ending. So if you'd like to get an envelope full of free shit, simply click READ MORE to get my address.

Bear Vs. Shark / These Arms Are Snakes

Scott: I attended the Cleveland stop of this year's Warped Tour this past Friday and I can tell you that out of all the bands I caught, the best was indeed saved for last, in Bear Vs. Shark. The band had the unfortunate last timeslot of 8PM, up against Taking Back Sunday on the mainstage. Only about 25 or so kids stuck around to watch Bear Vs. Shark do their thing, and we were all completely rewarded. Easily the best set I witnessed all day. If you're not listening to this band, you are missing out:
Bear Vs. Shark - Ma Jolie Bear Vs. Shark - Busses/No Busses
For more info on Bear Vs. Shark, go to BearVsShark.com.

Aubin: Their last EP was a odd mixture of post-hardcore and spacey atmospherics which a lot of people either loved or hated. The upcoming full length promises to do even more to confound expectations, especially considering their lineage from Botch and Kill Sadie. Heavy, dark and minimalistic without being obscure, and groovy and catchy without being trendy. It's difficult to describe, so, luckily, you can download a track here:
These Arms Are Snakes - Big News
More information can be found at Jade Tree or the official website.

Ryan's Hope / The Frenetics

Scott: I just got The Trials Of Recession, the new album by Chicago punk band Ryan's Hope, in the mail yesterday and I've probably listened to it a dozen times in a row already. There's something about this batch of songs that just screams "total rock awesomeness." Their sound is that of classic Chicago punk ala 88 Fingers Louie mixed with vocals akin to The Honor System and metal riffing that brings up images of Thrice's Identity Crisis. Here's three tracks off The Trials Of Recession, out now on Double Zero Records:
Ryan's Hope - Fiction And Transcendence Ryan's Hope - The Plague And It's Mass Ryan's Hope - Condemning Race
For more info on Ryan's Hope, go to RyansHopeMusic.com.

Adam: Montreal's The Frenetics have very slowly ingrained themselves into my consciousness over the last year. While I enjoyed their 2001 record These Mistakes Took Years Of Practice [review], this year's addition to their catalogue, Grey Veins to the Parking Lot [review], is fast becoming one of my favorite records of the year. There's something very compelling and charming about the band's music that I've always had a hard time describing.
The Frenetics - Journalist The Frenetics - If You Are What You Want
I have it on good authority that the band will make a few Warped appearances this year on the Union stage, so check them out if you're in attendance.

As Tall As Lions

This past Thursday I caught Gatsbys American Dream here in Cleveland, and while they blew me away as expected, it was tourmates As Tall As Lions who really stole the show for me. The band plays dreamy, atmospheric indie rock with enough of a bite to keep you awake, and their singer's voice is like Jeff Buckley's risen from the grave. Here's three tracks off their debut album Lafcadio, out now on Triple Crown Records:
As Tall As Lions - Break Blossom As Tall As Lions - The Carousel As Tall As Lions - If I'm Not Out Burning
For more info on As Tall As Lions, go to AsTallAsLions.com.