North Lincoln Midwestern Blood (No Idea)

Invariably, once I find out where a band is from, I start wondering if I can compare them with other bands from the same region. And what I mean by that is that a lot of bands from Gainesville, FL sound similar in the same fashion as pop punk bands from the Bay Area sound the same. North Lincoln hails from Michigan…so my first thought was-do these guys sound like Small Brown Bike?  That was the first, and predominate, band from Michigan that sprang to mind; and I’m sure there are other great bands that I don’t know, and maybe some that I know and just don’t realize are from Michigan. You know what I mean? I don’t study into music and bands as much as I once did.

So, the question- directed at myself- was, do they sound like Small Brown Bike? And the answer is….kind of. North Lincoln definitely has the penchant for gruff thrashings of the SBB of old, balanced with the more melodic points of the band that pervaded their final days (i.e. The River Bed). But a one trick pony, North Lincoln is not; these guys have a lot of different textures and sounds going on, constantly changing and adapting. We have a saying in Ohio about our weather-“Don’t like the weather? Wait five minutes, it’ll change”. The same could be said about these guys, but on a miniscule scale. While there are slight changes in musical temperature from time to time; it’s nothing drastic.

Those changes often come in the midst of one track, with vocals flowing from softer melodic vocals to scathingly gruff enunciations. Midwestern Blood comes off sounding dirty yet dignified at the same time; like malt liquor being drank from a brandy snifter.  Just the knowledge of North Lincoln’s record label, No Idea Records, is enough to give you a pretty good indication of what this album sounds like. No Idea bands, for the most part, come with a set sound. Gruff, soulful punk rock; and these guys carry on in that tradition. You know this like you know that if you see Trustkill imprinted on the spine of an album… most likely,whiny metal played by dudes with eyeliner is contained within.

Not that it will take away from the listening experience of this album knowing that. North Lincoln share a similar sound with lots of their record label peers, but are far from Small Brown Bike clones and far from being a bunch of dudes trying to bite Hot Water Music’s sounds. As a reviewer, it’s my job to throw around all these comparisons and generic terms in an attempt to give the general feel of an album; and it’s your duty, as a reader and music lover, to either vindicate my appraisal or call bullshit on the whole thing. If Diatribe operated on a number scale to judge albums, I’d give this 8/10.

Merit Arson is for Lovers (Self Release)

Let’s begin with a slight correction; Arson is actually for criminals looking at 5-10 years in prison, not lovers. So aside from the emo-cliché of an album title let me fill you in on what I do like from independent musicians Merit. 

Front-woman Brenna Merritt, is reminiscent of fem-vocalist Agent M of the underground pop-punk sensation Tsunami Bomb. However, the music it’s self is nothing too familiar. Merit earns its badge with a slightly sunnier take on the unclassified “indie rock” gene. So basically they are a rock & roll band like many before them.  We’ll break is down as such: Dynamic guitar parts that drive thru punk rock moments, with some bouncier almost ska choruses, and the occasional ballad feeling. However, the produced their own album, and this alone merits the “indie” sew-on patch in the industry.

Furthermore, their odd, yet selective style reminds me of Coheed and Cambria in their hay days. I’m most enchanted by the song “Fess Up”. It especially has that Coheed feel to it, especially when listening to the pitch shifting she (Merritt) does with her voice. There are some really amazing things going on here if you take the time to pick the album apart like I have done.

Impressive music becomes increasingly harder to come by, especially as you, the individual, change and evolve you opinions in what you look for in that perfect musical chemistry. You know when it hits you because you have to listen to it until you’re ears are sore from those ear-buds. It’s a constant analyzing of the entire album for more audible treasures. Well, Merit’s Arson is for Lovers is not one of those. Sorry. However, they are scraping at the door of something good here. I’ll make sure to keep my ear on them throughout the years.

CIV Solid Bond: The Complete Discography (Equal Vision)

If you’re anything like me, and around the same age, your first chance encounter with CIV probably came in the form of their 1995 video for “Can’t Wait One Minute More”.  As a Midwestern fifteen year old kid hearing what was, at the time, seemingly just a catchy song and moderately entertaining video, I had no idea of the resounding implications it would cause; the full scale musical genesis that was going on, unbeknownst to me, in my life. I was just an impressionable youth watching MTV-who at the time still actually played music videos (for better or worse) – and didn’t realize I was gaining my first insights into hardcore.

Now, CIV itself did not play quite as a significant role as the last paragraph might have let on; it was my discovery months later that the band was headed up by Anthony Civarelli, former vocalist of legendary hardcore band Gorilla Biscuits that really served to promote my growth in the punk rock and hardcore scenes. But CIV was an important piece in the overall puzzle. By age fifteen, I was totally immersed in skateboard culture and had been listening to bands like Pennywise, NOFX and No Use for a Name, but it was this chance viewing of a music video that really set the groundwork for getting into what I found was the ‘real stuff’…the meat and potatoes of independent music that would set me on a path that leads up to today and the days following this. Weird how that works out.

CIV did not play traditional hardcore music by a long stretch; most of their songs were a blending of hardcore and pop punk with a lot of elements of what would have been referred to as an ‘alternative’ sound. Every once in a while though, the Gorilla Biscuits references would shine through and  “Do Something”, “State of Grace” and “Gang Opinion” are perfect examples of this. Regardless of what classification you want to lump their songs into, CIV’s songs were catchy and fun and at the end of the day that’s all that matters.

This double disc discography is great for conveniently having their full catalog in one package (duh.) complete with B-sides and live tracks.  If you like CIV, but were never inspired enough to go and search out all their releases, like me, then this is the perfect alternative option.

“I Don’t Wanna Hear Your Band!”

This touches on something I deal with all the time on the Diatribe MySpace page. This is absolutely hilarious!

My Heart to Joy Seasons in Verse (Topshelf)

The one thing that I love about My Heart to Joy is their mastery of the quiet to loud dynamic; it was something that was carried out well on the last release, but Seasons in Verse shows that these guys now have it down to a relative science. I was incredibly impressed with My Heart to Joy’s last offering, the Virgin Sails 7” and was pretty eager to hear more from the band, so when Seasons in Verse arrived at my doorstep, I was ready to be even more stoked or horribly disappointed, in the unfortunate case of regression. The musical winds of change are a fickle zephyr of indecisiveness and you never know if you’ll get a warm breeze in your face or your house left in ruins.

No worries though; Seasons in Verse is just as captivating and exciting as the last installment. A track from the 7” also makes an appearance on the album. That song is “All of Life is Coming Home”; it was my favorite track on Virgin Sails and like a favorite story told by an old friend, it was a welcome and comforting addition. And it’s really no surprise that it made its way here as well; out of all the songs I’ve heard from these guys, it is their most defining…at least for me. This song perfectly showcases their penchant for creating intricate emotional punk, with angular soaring melodies and occasionally gruff lyrical deliveries. The remainder of the album surrounding this track follows suit in all the right ways.

There does seem to be a slight change of style with this record; which would be a lessening of screamy elements but a heightened focus on melody. Regardless, it doesn’t take away one ounce of energy from Seasons in Verse…if anything, it makes the heavier moments more explosive. When it’s all said and done, My Heart to Joy just excels at a brand of emotional music that so many have bastardized and failed at in the past. These guys know the true meaning of emo and know it has nothing to do with sad MySpace haircuts, The Nightmare Before Christmas tattoo sleeves and sloppy teenage heartsick ballads. This is an accomplished band getting back to the roots, and heart, of emo music. This is the album I’ve been the most excited about so far this year.