Pinhead Gunpowder- ‘Kick Over The Traces’(Recess Records)

This is Pinhead Gunpowder’s best of, and was a great way for me to finally properly check out Pinhead Gunpowder. I had heard snippets before this, but nothing that really grabbed me so I hadn’t bothered following it up. But now having heard this, I can definitely say I am a fan. If you are a fan of Lookout-era Green Day, you will surely lap this up. In a lot of ways, Pinhead Gunpowder were a quintessential ‘90s pop-punk band, yet it’s strange that a hobby side-project formed by a certain Billie Joe Armstrong and Aaron Crimpshrine became such an underground force. Green Day may have had the popularity and widespread acclaim, but Pinhead Gunpowder had the credibility and punk rock might. Mr. Armstrong had the best of both worlds in a lot of ways.

Here, Pinhead Gunpowder present you their ‘hits’. From the scruffy sounding ‘Losers of the Year’ to the pogotastic ‘Landlords’ to fist-pumper ‘Before the Accident’, there is very little a punk fan can find to dislike here. There are even three new tracks tacked on here (with the finest being opener ‘West Side Highway’) that were recorded during a short tour in early 2008. They demonstrate that, unlike Green Day, they simply just get better with age. It might sound like they are a one-trick pony from my description so far, but that is simply not the case. There’s slow, jumpy ones; there’s fast by-the-book pop punk ones; there’s angry, almost heavy ones; there’s even an acoustic one (the astounding closer ‘On the Ave.’ featuring a guest female vocalist). Basically, variety is the key here. Pinhead’ could be pidgeon-holed under a general raspy-vocalled, three chord shouty pop-punk heading but it hides so much of what they are. Those already fans need not apply, but those who are curious should take a listen and there is a very good chance you will enjoy what you hear.

www.myspace.com/pinheadgunpowderusa

The Bomb- ‘Speed Is Everything’ (No Idea Records)

This is punk rock that wears its heart on its sleeves. The Bomb is emotionally-charged power-punk with an emphasis on guitar-led harmonies. And sweet, sweet harmonies they are. The Bomb, if you didn’t know, features Jeff Pezzati, of Naked Raygun fame, on vocals, whilst the rest of the band comprises of members of Methadones, Big Black and Story So Far. There is also Dan Yemin (Paint it Black) helping out with the vocals. And the influences from their former bands certainly show, particularly Naked Raygun. The driving guitar riffs, anthemic vocals and mid-tempo feel are all reminiscent of a certain Gainseville band. The power-poppiness of The Methadones can also be heard. There’s much to enjoy here—the energy of the band and the sheer power of the choruses immediately spring to mind (see: ‘The Kids’—and ‘Speed Is Everything’ will most certainly grow on you. However, it seems to lack a spark that Naked Raygun had, and The Bomb never really get out of first gear here. I’m sure it would be better appreciated live though, and despite it being no classic, it’s definitely worth a listen.

Gateway District- ‘Some Days You Get The Thunder’ (It’s Alive Records)

“It’s too early to be drinking this way/ My eyes are too wide for this light..”. The opening lyrics of ‘Keep Track of the Time’, the first track on Gateway District’s debut album. It effectively precipitates what is it to come on the next twelve tracks. ‘Some Days You Get The Thunder’ is a folk-influenced punk rock album with snarly girl vocals to boot (from two separate vocalists), that lacks neither in passion nor cynicism. You may idly compare Gateway District to any number of ‘90s riot grrl bands on the face of things, after a couple of listens. Yet that would be demeaning, as they have more strings in their bow than that would suggest. There are some straight up driving punk rock songs here that Gateway District manage to pull off extremely well, and I would consider these the ‘hits’ of the album (‘Lake Street’, ‘River Trash’). But there are plenty of folk and country tinged songs that are arguably just as good. ‘Highway Song’ in particular stands out. There’s also a couple of slower ones on there if you’re more into your folk (I personally think it loses the momentum a little when ‘Falling Down, Leaving Town’ kicks in, but they can’t be faulted for musicianship or the ability to tell a tale).

Lyrically, they are also miles off from riot grrrl territory. Instead, this is a band that is Midwestern through and through. It features members of Dear Landlord and Banner Pilot, so it is easy to see why. There are tales of loneliness, urban fatigue and alcohol abuse abound. Despite the strength of the lyrics, it takes a while to sink in just how good they really are, and how well they complement the music. It’s often sheer simplicity where Gateway District most prosper, as proven here: “I’ve lost days and fights/ I’ve spent broken, blacked out nights trying to find them again” (‘Lake St. Is For Suckers). I’m sure everyone could find atleast one song here they could sing along to. A stunning debut. Not quite perfect, but damn close.
 www.myspace.com/thegatewaydistrict

 CoCoComa- ‘Things Are Not Allright’ (Goner Records)

With their second full length, CoCoComa inject hooks the size of planets into their pop-punk/ garage-pop merge. This is fast, frenetic and undoubtedly poppy; catchiness itself. CCC can make party tunes for fun. It is influenced by that garage-punk revival of the ‘90s, bands like Exloding Hearts, Mummies and Marked Men, but there is a definite ‘60s pop tang to this punk rock feast. The guitar-pop here could have fit many a popular band back then. I have probably said a lot that “this band is born out of their time” or something, but CCC actually belongs in the ‘60s. The pure pop harmonies of ‘Suspicious’ and the insane catchiness of closer ‘Allright, allright, allright’ lends itself to only one decade. Retro for the sake of it slightly annoys me, but then I’m reminded of the size of these tunes, and I find myself not caring. “Liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiieeee to me!!”.
www.myspace.com/cococoma

Grizzley Ends- ‘The Unfortunate Demise Of...’ (Squinty Joe Records)

England’s Grizzley Ends delight here with their bouncy, surf-influenced take on the much abused pop-punk genre. Along with The Hotlines, they are probably the best band taking the pop approach to punk in the UK right now. Unrelentless from start to finish, Grizzley Ends pound out hyper surf-punk tunes like they’re going out of fashion. Catchy guitar leads, nasally vocals and songs that barely pass the two minute mark: isn’t this what pop-punk is all about? It’s typically pop-punk in all the right ways. Their surf-garagey feel reminds me of a little of Zatopeks, or something similar. The UK base adds a certain cheekiness to this punk rock. For the killer tunes, check out ‘Old Rope’ or the pogo-tastic ‘One Nil’. Very different from the beast they were on the Capguns ‘n’ Coke split, but in a definite good way. Highly recommended.

www.myspace.com/thegrizzleyends

Pink Razors- ‘Leave Alive’

A truly great pop-punk record, from start to finish. The older stuff from Pink Razors never really did much for me. The songs all sounded too much the same. Here, Pink Razors have completely evolved for the better, creating a more mid-tempo melody driven sound, with hooks as big as you could wish for. These perfectly complement the faster, punkier few songs on ‘Leave Alive’. The new female vocals as help a ton: Erin’s voice is just terrific, and can rival any female singer in punk rock. The interchange between her and long-time singer Jeff Grant is done brilliantly. What’s more, the new and improved production helps position Pink Razors in a more favourable light. It perfectly captures the crisp, punky intensity of their sound which overlays a hook-ridden pop basis. In a lot of ways, they could be a heavier Muffs or Superchunk. The technical expertise of indie punk bands like Lemuria or Good Luck also comes to mind, but nothing can really describe them properly until you have actually stuck ‘Leave Alive’ on your stereo. Which can only be a good thing: originality is of course the number one thing a band can aspire to, and I think Pink Razors have done just that. I can’t decide between the too sweet for its own good ‘Geometric Park’ and the instantaneous ‘Space Eater’ for best track. Either way, you need this album in your life.

www.myspace.com/
pinkrazors
Creeps/ Fear of Lipstick Split

Two Canadian punk rock bands. Four songs. Both bands present one new song, and then covers one of the other bands. What more could you want? The Creeps are as catchy and pogotastic as ever, blessing us with ‘Shadows’, a power-punk gem that could have easily fit on ‘Lakeside Cabin somewhere. They then cover ‘Correction Facility’. I’m not sure what the original was like, but this isn’t much to write home about. Granted, it’s good and solid, but both bands can do better. A little pedestrian. The Creeps take on horror-based pop-punk is virtually untouchable right now, so it’s noticeable when something is not nigh-on perfect. Fear of Lipstick are a slightly poppier proposition but are a similar garage-y power punk affair with an affination for all things horror. ‘In That Town’ is some excellent sing-along pop-punk, while their cover of ‘Strangle This Town’ pays homage to the Creeps original (the best track of the fantastic These Walls 7”) but adds a little something else into the mix too. All in all, Canada’s finest in punk come up trumps yet again and I’m now eagerly hoping for a new full length from both bands.
www.myspace.com/capitalcitycreeps
 www.myspace.com/fearoflipstick1234

Drag The River- ‘Bad At Breaking Up’ (Suburban Home)

I had completely ignored Drag The River until hearing this. I knew who it featured, but it never looked too interesting. As it turns out, I was...half right. If you don’t know who Drag The River are, they basically play punk-tinged country rock. But the started all this before it was cool to do so. It features Chad Price (Descendents/ All) and Jon Snodgrass (Hot Water Music), with the two of them trading vocals throughout. ‘Bad At Breaking Up’ is their posthumous collection of 7”s and unreleased b-sides. The bluesy feel of much of this, the featuring of two great vocalists and country-style choruses should result in something great and memorable. As it is, it’s just allright. Perhaps it’s just not my thing, but there seems to be that little something special lacking with a lot of what Drag The River do here. It’s good for what it is, but hardly makes me rush to buy the rest of their stuff. But then the other caveat here is that that isn’t what this is intended for—it is a collection of largely unreleased stuff remember. Still, not much to write home about here.

www.myspace.com/dragtheriver

No Friends- S/T (No Idea)

Featuring members of Municipal Waste and New Mexican Disaster Squad, No Friends are a new band out of Florida that play a refreshingly old school slab of hardcore punk. Pounding drums, stop-start guitars and snarly vocals: it’s just like the mid ‘80s US punk scene all over again. I mean this in a positive way; there were plenty of piss-poor hardcore bands forming at that time, but No Friends take inspiration from the best. Black Flag, Gorilla Biscuits and early Descendents comes to mind. And No Friends manage to put their own little unique spin on things to make it more interesting. My one gripe with this album is that they perhaps didn’t put enough of their own spin on it; it’s a little formulaic in places. Nevertheless, with this release, No Friends have proven that you can go forward by going backwards. With the odd exception, this is one of the few hardcore albums I have enjoyed in absolutely ages. Frenetic, relentless and uncompromising; No Friends will invite you to enjoy this niche of punk all over again.

www.myspace.com/wevegotnofriends
The Spits- ‘IV’ (Recess Records)

If you are a fan of all things garage, then this one’s for you. The Spits have been going for almost a decade now and this is their fourth full length, but they sound as fresh as ever. Heavily influenced by all things punk rock, The Spits do things dirty, lo-fi and synth-infected. Juvenile in subject matter and simplistic where music is concerned (this is the definition of three chords), The Spits are like a strange mix of The Ramones and Devo. The simple singalongs are also reminiscent of The Misfits earlyn stuff. The rather bizarre (but all the better for it) ‘Life Of Crime’ is possibly the hit of the album. Either that or the fantastic ‘Eyesore City’. For some brainless, retro fun, head down to Spit city: you’ll have a blast.

www.myspace.com/thespits

Jetty Boys- ‘Sheboygan’ (Rally Records)

If you don’t like this album, you don’t like fun. It’s that simple. This is pure power-pop goodness. Here, Jetty Boys splurge a plethora of garage-rock sensibilities onto a pop-punk canvas that soundtrack every good moment you have ever have had. There’s no other way about it: it’s party time when Jetty Boys are in the house. They might have made a crucil mistake in opening with their best song (possibly the best song this year) in the insanely catchy ‘Reflectors’. As it is, Jetty Boys manage to keep up the pace throughout, never stopping for a breath. From the anthemic power-punk of ‘I’ll Be Fine’ (“I can take this, yes I can take this!!”) to the poppy lament of ‘Feels Like Dying’ to ‘Sheboygan’s catchiest ditty in ‘Not The One’, Jetty Boys continually prove again and again why they are king of pop-punk ville.

I’m a little late boarding this train, as I initially thought their debut was hit and miss. I still think it was lacking in some ways, but with ‘Sheboygan’, Jetty Boys have brushed away any accusations of inconsistency in one false power-pop swoop. The pop-punk ‘hit’ album of the year.

www.myspace.com/jettyboys

Sidekicks- ‘Sam’ (Redscare)

This is the transition 7” between their two very different full length records, and it shows. The new Sidekicks album (out now, also on Redscare) could almost be described as indie-pop, with a definite swing towards the alternative side of things, whilst their debut was some driving indie-infected punk rock. This is the middle ground of that. I’m not sure what to make of the new material so far, so naturally I want this to be more like their earlier stuff. Still, it’s a good batch of songs, if not spectacular. Shout punky anthem ‘I Burned The Crops’ is perhaps where they succeed the most here, while ‘Bryant Gregst’ has some killer harmonies. Solid.
 www.myspace.com/sidekicks

Broadway Calls- ‘Good News, Bad Views’ (Side One Dummy)

A perfect album for the summer, this record is pure sunshine-tinged punk rock. Poppy to the max, ‘Good News, Bad Views’ is mid-tempo, ‘90s influenced pop-punk. Alkaline Trio and Descendents, in particular, come to mind here. With them previously being signed to Billie Joe’s label, Green Day is perhaps a little bit of an obvious influence to state but it is definitely, albeit in a slightly glossier format. Despite this overall feel, Broadway Calls manage to avoid the pit-traps of their debut and manage to instigate some good variation throughout, incorporating pop, punk and rock influences. The opening pop-punk anthem ‘Midnight Hour’ gives way to the punchy rock of ‘Basement Royalty’ to the power-pop of ‘Wake Up Call’. It is a fun singalong throughout. What’s more, the lyrics are heavily influenced by societal issues and the like, without ever being preachy. What’s more, they are actually gaining momentum where popularity is concerned, after recently touring with Alkaline Trio and The Offspring. It’s great to finally see a pop-punk band that gigged the underground circuit to gain some recognition, without having to be trendy twats. I think we can toast this record to that record to that sentiment

BROADWAY CALLS / PUNK OR NOTHING

1. Introduce yourself to Punk or Nothing readers! How would you describe your music?
We’re a pop punk band in the vein of The Ramones and every other band that has ripped them off, with a bit of a modern sound. It’s all just three or four chords though ya know? Catchy melodies and singalongs. That’s pretty much Broadway Calls.

2. I read that you guys have your origins in hardcore bands. How did the move to the pop-punkiness of Broadway Calls come about?

We don’t have our origins in hardcore, we actually have our origins in pop punk. Hardcore was just a part of the stuff that Josh and I have played over the years. We still love and listen to hardcore.....well, some hardcore.

3. Where do your main influences stem from?

Green Day seriously changed my life when I was 12 years old. I still love them to death, but there’s also bands like Hot Water Music, Alkaline Trio, Jimmy Eat World, etc. that make an appearance in our music from time to time.

4. You have a poppy/melodic sound, but in contrast to a lot of your peers, incorporate socio-political themes into your lyrics. Was it a conscious desicion to do this?

I think the “peers” you refer to might be bands that I hate. Ha. I love bands that sing about girls and drinking, but I hate bands that ONLY sing about girls and drinking. You’ve got to branch out every once in a while, even if it’s just to talk about your music scene, or a friend that means a lot to you.

5. Your new album 'Good Views, Bad News’ has just been released. How do you think it builds upon your debut self-titled record? Was there anything in particular you tried to do on the new one that wasn't so good previously?

Well, I think we just tried to make a shorter, faster, more focused record, and I think we did it. Of course it was with the help of Bill Stevenson, and Jason Livermore. They helped us “trim the fat” and get rid of the acoustic, mellow songs. Of course with the exception of “At The End”.

6. What has the reception to 'Good Views, Bad News’ been like in general so far?

It’s been great!! We’ve been really surprised with the way the press has been lovin’ it, and I just hope a lot of kids feel the same. We’re really proud of what we made, and I just want as many people as possible to hear it.

7. I read that you are touring the UK this month-- Is there anything in particular you are excited about when coming to the UK?

Seeing friends we’ve made from past tours. Playing shows to new kids and making new friends, and of course Kebab shops.

8. You have supported/ are supporting punk rock veterans on tour like Alkaline Trio and The Offspring. Are these bands you listened to when you were growing up?

Oh yeah! We still do! I listen to Alk3 on a weekly basis. They’ve made so many great records that it’s always on rotation. There’s nothing better than singing along to Radio at the top of your lungs.

9. What do you think of the punk scene in general right now?

It has it’s good and bad apples, just like every other scene. There’s a lot of bands that have been called punk recently, that really have nothing to do with the punk world.

10. So, what do Broadway Calls have planned for the rest of 2009 and further on into next year?

A whole lotta touring! With bands like Gaslight Anthem, Bouncing Souls, Bayside, Streetlight Manifesto! We’re stoked!!!!

11. Finally, punk or nothing?

Save your breath. I never was one.
 

 www.myspace.com/broadwaycalls