ALBUM REVIEW: Out Of The Bloom by Fiddlehead

Fiddlehead's Out of the Bloom is one of the new EPs from Lockin Out Records this year, featuring members of Basement, Have Heart, and Verse. Pat Flynn, former vocalist of Have Heart, does vocals on this. Now, I know everyone wants Have Heart back to get back together, but this is in no way a new Have Heart. Fiddlehead is more of an alternative rock band, along the lines of Title Fight, but with a more psychedelic feel. This band does have a sort of 90s sound, but to be honest, Fiddlehead is pretty unique. Every song on this EP displays diversity, but still fit in with each other. None of them stand out from the rest, leading to me not having a least or favorite song on this. The vocals could be higher in the mix, but there's definitely worse cases out there, so its passable.  This album is pretty solid and it stands out as a lockin' out record; the only album on that label of its kind.

8.9/10 Solid 

http://fiddleheadma.bandcamp.com/releasesFiddleheads bandcamp
Lockin Out Records

Fiddleheads Facebook

Video Interview links

Just in case you don't follow the blog's facebook page, which you should if you want to keep on top of stuff that we post as well as pictures from shows we go to and other things we dig, here are the links to the three video interviews we have with King Nine, Last Great Hero(now called Table Talk) and Cryptodira.

Link to Last Great Hero

Link to Cryptodira

Link to King Nine

ALBUM REVIEW: Pop Culture by Knocked Loose

Last year, Knocked Loose released Pop Culture, a 5 track EP that I only wish I had found out about sooner. I had found out about this band through hearing about their split with Damaged Goods that came out last month. Going back and listening to this release, I can absolutely see why they get the hype that they do. This five piece band from Kentucky is going somewhere for sure, and I can only hope that it is onward and upwards.
 Instrumentally, this release comes in strong with some very heavy, metallic hardcore guitar riffs and leads. But what REALLY hit me on the instrumental aspect of this record is the really awesome bass tone. It most certainly adds to the tenacity and aggressiveness of the music, and leads for some really aggressive, mosh worthy breakdowns. And I mean the type of breakdowns that you see people crowdkill to. A lot of other elements that are typical of the genre, such as using feedback intros are also prevalent in this record as well. The drums give great motion and feel to the record, and are well put together in the scope of the songs themselves.
 Production wise this record is very good, with no audible hiccups in the audio or anything of the sort. Needless to say, they chose a really great producer on this record for sure. Finally, I want to talk about the vocals, they fit in very well here, clear and audible yet as aggressive as you would want a hardcore record to be. The backing growls also fit in very well, and add a special unique touch to the songs they're on.  In sum, I have to give this record a solid 8/10 a great release from Knocked Loose, and one I highly recommend listening to and picking up.

Listen to/pick up Knocked Loose's record Pop Culture here on Bandcamp

Upcoming Shows 6/5/15-6/11/15

Here's another week of shows we would like you to check out. These shows are in the Tri-State Area.
June 5
1. Knitting Factory- White Lung, Obliterations.
2. Sinclairs Pub- CJ Ramone, DrinkFight Thugs, Adam's Atoms, Filth Bombs, Enemy of The State, Acid Boy.
3. Arlene's Grocery- The Rougers, The Planets, Stumble bunny, The Brats.
4. Hank's Saloon- 45 Adapters, Guns Don't Run,Gvrnss.
5. Pearl West- Good Times, Never Ender, NightTrip, Ten Ton Hammer.
6. The Grand Victory- The Woggles, Swingin Neckbreakers, Much and The Mires, Games.
7. The Crunch House- Polluter, Wolves At Bay, Dream Ritual, Bedrock Divison, Con Etqhette.
8. Up All Night Collective- Dangerous Animals, Hailey Wojcik, Dr. Martins, Crown Colon.
9. The Lab at Gamecharger World- Bad Case of Big Mouth, All New Atmosphere, Out of Aks, The Bombshell Renegades, Still Wells, Moral of The Story.
10. Asbury Lanes- Jucifer, Idles, Hounds.
11. Woodbury Music Shop- Commonwealth, Cheem, Spit-Take, heahcold, Rare Beasts.
12. The Acheron- The Casualties, I.R.A., Iron Force, Agilator.
June 6
1. Marlin Room at Webster Hall- Modern Life is War, United Nations, The Banner, Frameworks.
2. The Studio at Webster Hall- Obliterations, GIVE, Impact.
3. Palisades- Merchandise, Nothing, Cloakroom.
4. Baby's All Right- Nothing, Merchandis, Cloakroom.
5. Shea Stadium- Shark?, Sleeping Bad, Yawn, Hey Rocco.
6. The Acheron- Disrotted, Skull Shitter, Minimum Wage Assassins.
7. ABC No Rio- Gash, Ghost of a Dead Humming Bird, Terror Eyes, Nine of Swords.
8. Bar Matchless- Darkside NYC, SpEd, Drunken Ramapage, Eleventh Hour.
9. Best Bar- Radio Daze, Catalina Shortwave, Point Blank, Miles Zig Zag.
10. Arlene's Grocery- Robin Lenarter, Dirty and Naughty, Cheetah Chrome, Gina Harlow & The DeepThroats, Gash feat Tibbiex.
11. Snapper Magees- Cry Havoc!, Damn Broads, MouthBreathers, Mase.
12. Hollis Wood Community Church- Ladder Match, Adiron, In My Sights, Forever Forget, Best Regards.
13. Trick Shot Billards- Head North, Light Years, A Will Away, Casey Boller, At Bay.
14. Trick Shot Billards- Uke Hunt.
June 7
1. Riis Park Beach Bazaar- Cheap Girls, Young Statues, Young & Heartless, Soda Bomb.
2. Mercury Lounge- Crococidlesm Dirty Fences, Shark Week.
3. Saint Vitus Bar- Secret Cutter, Godmaker, Beefrot, Huldra, Sunrot.
4. Surf Lodge- The Flaming Lips.
5. Trans Pecos- The Body, Sophia Svartsim, Karjalan Sisset, Northaunt, Soda Bomb.
6. The Acheron- Jucifer, Vaporzer, Family.
7. Amityville Music Hall- Pain Tolerance, Sleight of Hand, Day By Day, Stand Off, Impact.
8. Amityville Music Hall- Giants At Large, No Tide, The Spacepimps, Check Engine LIght, Colorful Kid, Nice Shot Kid.
9. The Meatlocker- Tape Monster, The Uncomly Good, Halicarnassau, Killer Waves.
10. The Grand Victory- In Circles, OC45, Everything Ever, Weaklings, Dead Jetsetter.
11. Hollis Wood Community Church- Atlantis Bound, Toys In Trouble, Hopeless Otis, Grav's End Band, Fairway, Monster over There.
12. Up All Night Collective- Hollow Breath, Warrior Prince, Ends Meet, Queensway, Slow Burn.
13. Fuze Box- Cruel Hand, Concrete, Throat Culture.
14. The Space- Alex G, Pine Groove, Puppy.
15. Tomkins Square Park- Lucifer Jones, Get Ignorant, Skitzopolis, The Graveyard School, Universal Truth Machine.
June 8
1. Even Flow Bar and Grill- Jukai, Society Sucker, Detain, Regulate, MARA, Hangman.
2. Shea Stadium- Sleepies, Beth Israel, Adaeta, Second Still.
June 9
1. Warsaw- The Vaccines, Drowners,
2. Music Hall of Williamsburg- Bad Religion, Plague Vendor.
3. The Studio at Webster Hall- Head North, Light Years, A Will Away, Casey Bolles.
4. The Grand Victory- M-13, Machinist, Risers, Dying Whale, But Pyprite.
5. The Bowery Electric- Uke- Hunt, Mishka Shabaly, Youth Posse.
June 10
1. Music Hall of Williamsburg- Bad Religion, Plague Vendor.
2. Saint Vitus Bar- Coliseum, Child Bite, No Way.
3. Amityville Music Hall- Light years, Head North, A Will Away, Casey Bolles, Last Great Hero, Fiswe Eight.
4. The Bowery Electric- The Real Mckenzies, Boids, The Young Rochells, Vancouver Rats.
June 11
1. The Bowery Ballroom- Bad Religion, Plague Vendor.
2. Saint Vitus Bar- The Business, TBA.
3. The Acheron- Ancient Heads, Severe, WAD.

Ride and Sshh at Music Hall of Williamsburg 6/1/15

Last Monday the legendary shoegaze band Ride played their first NYC show in over twenty years and it was a sold out show. Ride played at the Music Hall of Williamsburg and this show literally sold out in minutes. After this show Ride will go on an American tour and playing Terminal 5 on June 4. This show was probably my best show at this venue. It’s I see A lot shoegaze bands here and a lot of reunion shows here especially this upcoming where I’ll be seeing Refused.

The opener of the night was a band called Sshh. Sshh is a three piece band from England. This was a very wild band. They had vocals, drums, and a guitar no bass because they used samples. At first it seemed like the Rolling Stones with a lot of noise elements. Big blues guitar riffs with the Sonic Youth feedback. The band was okay nothing really that special. Very odd band to have open up for Ride still its cool for band like that open up for a legendary band.

Ride was up and they started off with the eight minute song “Leave Them All Behind” and went into “Like A Daydream”. Ride is a shoegaze band from Oxford, England. This set was probably the best I ever seen at Music Hall of Williamsburg. The sound was great and the crowd gave off a great reaction. Now this is not the crowd that moshes or stage dives more of the standing still crowd. Ride was amazing play classics from their albums Smile, Nowhere, and Going Blank Again. I have nothing bad to say about this show. The best part was that during the song “Drive Blind” they played a five minute noise section. So loud and amazing the part was. I can’t wait to see this band again and even though there was no stage diving its still cool to see this band with barricades. If you ever get the chance to see this best do it, its 100% worth it.  

Ride- 10/10

Sshh- 7/10

Music Hall of Williamsburg- 9/10

Overall Concert- 9.5/10

ALBUM REVIEW: Connector by I The Mighty

Hey guys! I'm back again, this time with Connector by I The Mighty; Connector is hot off the press, just being released today.  I'll never forget the first time I saw I The Mighty, roughly a year ago when they toured with Coheed and Cambria, along with Balance and Composure.  I think that was an awesome tour, with respect to I The Mighty, seeing as how all of the bands shared awesome progressive and agressive qualities.  Plus the fact that with each tour that ITM goes on, they gain a quality from the bands they spend their time with.  For example, on Connector I hear alot of progressive qualities, such as the occasional change in time signature and polyrhythms, as well as the vocal intensity.

Connector is a 12 song LP with songs such as "Andrew's Song" and "Playing Catch With .22" that have such deep meaningful qualities like you would find in bands such as Balance, which is another quality that was gained from that tour.  Unfortunately, I think that they missed the mark on the more progressive aspects of their music, and given they aren't a purely prog band, but if you're gonna do it then really commit to it. When they include progressiveness in their songs it's so light that it's barely noticable, which really dissappoints me because that was a quality that I always admired in them; the perfect balance between prog and rock.  On the upside, I do think that they have an amazing balance between intensity and softness in both vocals and instrumentals, and for me that really decides how I feel about an album.  In THAT aspect they hit the nail right on the damn head! Also, you can't deny that Brent Walsh has that voice that you just can't get enough of, that really keeps you listening. With very moderate and not annoyingly overcomplicated instrumentals, I The Mighty certainly are worth a look. I give Connector a 7/10.

June Festivals

Here’s another month of festivals we would like you to check out. Most of these festivals are in The United States. There’s going to be two European festivals that we are going to mention due to the fact that a local hardcore band from Long Island is playing. Detriment is currently on a European tour will be playing Reality Bites Festival and Return To Strength festival.  Also we do not cover any big festivals only the small ones.

Max’s Kansas City 50^th Anniversary

            This is a four day festival that is honoring the legendary NYC club Max’ Kansas City. This club was helpful for the early punk bands having a place to play. This is taking place in the small club the Bowery Electric.

Day 1 June 4

The All Star Jayne County Tribute, Toilet Boys, Jahn Xavier & The Bowerytones, The Sic Fucks, Ruby & The Rednecks, The Magic Tramps, Zecca, The Black Cats NYC.

Day 2 June 5

The Waldos, Testors originally lineup featuring Sonny Vincent, New York Junk, Lugi & The Wiseguys, Love Pirates, Bill Pop & The Tapes.

Day 3 June 6

Pure Hell, Sea Monster, Puma Perl & Friends, Joey Kelly All Stars, Martin John Butler.

Day 4 June 7

Nelson Slater, Prima Donna, The Rattlers, 4 on The Floor, Deborah Floor, Hip Pipps, The FlashCubes.

Reality Bites Festival Volume 1

            This is the first year of this German hardcore festival. This takes place on June 4 in Juz Saarlouis. This is one of the festivals that the local Long Island band

June 4

Suburban Scum, Rude Awakening, Risk It!, Hardside, World Eater, Detriment, War Charge, Light It Up, Dead Weight, Lions.

Return To Strength Festival

            Here’s another German festival that Detriment is playing and this is a two day hardcore festival. This takes place at the GMS Center in Querfurt.

Day 1 June 5

Nasty, Surge of Fury, Desolated, Hardside, Optimist, Harm/Shelter, CFF, Dead Weight, Adjust, Blind Beliefs.

Day 2 June 6

Suburban Scum, Rude Awakening, Harms Way, Risk It!, Benchpress, Gone To Waste, Deathrite, Light It Up, Soulgroaund, Deluminator, Detriment, Felony, Method of Proof, The Southern Oracle.

Champs 4 Kids Fest

            This is a two day hardcore fest in Santa Cruz, California that donates products to kids. Most of the bands are from California. This on June 12^th and 13^th  and this is at The 418 Project.

Both Days

Downpresser, Ill Intent, Minus, Modern Pain, Afflictive Nature, Wreck, Treachrouskin, Power, Rise, Safe & Sound, Pulled Under, Bad Times Crew, Enchant, Selfish Ways, Unjust, Snakeway, Life For A Life, Red Scare, Reunion, Singled Out, Coolside, Urgency, Vamachara, Spinebreaker.

  

Florida Rules Fest

            This is a hardcore festival that has a lot of the best bands that Florida has to offer. This takes places at Epic Problems in Tampa, FL. This is a three day festival.

Day 1 June 12

Axis, God Harvest, Gouge Away, Lipschitz, Madtown, Mushmind, Shovelhead.

Day 2 June 13

Blistered, Culture, Face It, Fourth Son, Guilty Conscience, Hit List, Old Habits, Outstretch, Prevail, Put It Aside, Rhythm of Fear, Stillframe, Three Knee Deep, You Vandals.

Day 3 June 14

Blacksmith, Close The Casket, Culture Killer, Dwell, Incited, No Restraint, Pinehurst, Reveal Renew, Sick of Talk, Stealing Spines, Strengthen What Remains, Vatican, With Increases, XghidorahX.

Ink N Iron Kustom Kulture Long Beach Festival

            This is a three day festival that places in Long Beach outside on the port of where the ship The Queen Mary is. The festival is mixed with punk, hardcore, metal, rockbilly, and even country. This is the 12^th annual and has a huge lineup this year.

Day 1 June 12

Pennywise, Wanda Jackson, The Bouncing Souls, Sonny Burgess & The Legendary Pacers, UK Subs, The Dickies, D.on Darox & The Melody Joy Bakers, The Cold Hard Cash Show, War On Women, The B-Stars, The Rumble Strippers, The Rockin Rebels, Three Times Bad, Chantilly Lace Vincent With Los High Tops.

Day 2 June 13

Killswitch Engage, Hatebreed, The Dillinger Escape Plan, The Caravans, The Adolescents, Phil Haley & The Comets, Astro Zombies, The Gravemen, The Hellfreaks, Laura Ashleigh, Year of The Dragon, The Memphis Mudermen, Retox, Jackson Sloan and The Rhythm Tones, Flattop Tom and His Jump Cats, Laura Benitez and The Heartache, Dirty Cello, Cigar Store Indians, The Hubcap Stealers, Action Andy and The Hi-Tones, The Lovely Creatures, Silvertooth Loos and The Witch, The Sleepwalkers.

Day 3 June 14

Peter Murphy, Gary Numan, Nekromantix, Fishbone, The Slackers, The Aggrolites, Vinila Von Bismark, The Creepshow, Big D and The Kids Table, Sick Sick Sinner, Long Tall Texans, Jackson Sloan and The RhythmTones, STU Arkoff Plays Ghost Train, The Johnny Trouble Trio, Los High Tops, The Krypters, Rocketship Rocketship, So-Cal Rocket Dynamics.

Pizza Fest 2

            Pizzafest is annual fest that is runned by King Pizza Records. This is a punk, indie, garage festival. Its three days and takes place in Brooklyn, New York. Each day is at a different venue. Saturday is the only day where the show is not all ages.

Day 1 June 18 Human Head

The Rizzos, Jacques Le Coque, Ghost Punch.

Day 2 June 19 Don Pedro

Vamanos, Dan Soto & The High Doses, Graveyard Lovers, St. James & The Apostles, Heavy Flow, Coach N’ Commamdo.

Day 3 Jun 20 Pet Rescue

Sun Voyager, Absolutely Not, The Mad Doctors, The Omecs, Tone, Three Creeps, Crazy Pills, Greasy Hearts, Psychiatric Metaphors, Seismic Thrust, LUMPS, Shelter Dogs, Super FM Super Fm.

Punk Island 2015

            This is an annual punk rock fest that is free. It’s a one day fest that takes place on Staten Island. This is mostly punk bands from around this area which is NYC, Long Island, Upstate NY, Connecticut, New Jersey, and other parts of this country.

June 21  

13 Towers, 16HPP, Absinthe Rose, Ache, Adam Atoms, Aimless Again, Arson Welles, Bad Head, Before The Origin, Behind Deadlines, Bitchtits, Bitter Fruit, Boomside, Carbon Thieft, Cell 63, Close to the Edge, ColorBlind, Crisis Crayons, Cry Havoc, CUTTERS, Disaster Strikes, Duck and Cover, East to Nowhere, Enemy of The State, Entropy, Ex By V, Exit 17, Felix, Freya Wilcox and the Howl, Gandor Chorale, Gangway, Girlcrush, Go Big, Gone By Friday, Gutterlife, Heavy Negatives, Insubordination, Knuckledhead, Legend of You, Mad Diesel, Mean Girls, Mr.Ris, Namatay Sa Ingay, NCM, Nerves End, New Oldies, New Oldies Club, Nobody Yet, On The Cinder, Opposition Ring, Penguin, Possum, Princes Tiny and the Meats, Radio Daze, Rum Rebellion, RVIVR, Sexy Teenagers, Skarroneros, Slow Children, So Yesterday, Supreme Commander, Taj Motel Trio, Tesla’s Revenge, The Black Clouds, The Cavalry Is US, The Far East, The Gentlemen, The Jukebox Romantics, The Ladrones, The Last Throes, The Nightmare Police, The Sex Zombies, The Toxins, Thorazine, Thunderam Two Fisted Law, Walk The Plank, Wombat in Combat.   

Punk Rock Picnic

            This is an annual punk rock festival that takes place at Marina Green Long Beach, California. This is has a mix of old school and new school bands. This is only a one day festival.

June 27 Only day

Discharge, Agent Orange, Cockey Rejects, The Meatmen, The Gears, Shattered Faith, X-Members, The Angry Samoans, Ill Repute, HFl, Yeastie Boys, Dissension, Stalag 13, White Kaps, 45 Gravem Drian Bramaged, Long Beach Allday, The Zero Class, Agression, Rick Thorne, Co-Dependents, El Nada, 13 Scars, American Jihad, Capital Vices LTD, Amerikan Made, Dodge Dart, Dirty Hammer, One Less Zero, Raukous, The Gashers, Twitching Fingers, Los Creepers, Bourbon Saints, No More Saints, Agent 86, Neveready, Mass Terror, Skatanic Rednecks, The HeadAches, Bad Samritans, The Decline, Straight Shooter, Underground Alliance, Al Time Losers, Cell Block 5, The Returners, Erin Cookman, Bargking Irons, One Fight, Infirmities, Takedown, Guilty By Association, Sorry State, The Graveyard Henchman, Standard and Poor, and Brigadiers.