Descendents - I'm The One

The Descendents are a punk rock band formed in 1977 in Manhattan Beach, California by guitarist Frank Navetta, bassist Tony Lombardo and drummer Bill Stevenson. In 1979, they enlisted Stevenson's school friend Milo Aukerman as a singer, and reappeared as a punk rock band, becoming a major player in the hardcore punk scene developing in Los Angeles at the time. They have released seven studio albums, three live albums, three compilation albums, and three EPs. Since 1986, the band's lineup has consisted of singer Milo Aukerman, guitarist Stephen Egerton, bassist Karl Alvarez, and drummer Bill Stevenson.

I'm the One was released as the first single from their 1996 album Everything Sucks. It is a poppy-but-pissed meditation on finishing second in someone else’s race. It has that classic Descendents feel to it and it's incredibly catchy.

The music video for "I'm the One" was directed by Dave Robinson. It depicts the band members visiting a sperm bank in order to make a sperm donation, and skateboarding down a street while wearing white costumes resembling sperm, interspersed with black-and-white footage of the band performing the song in concert. Singer Milo Aukerman later remarked that the concept was Robinson's: "He kinda took the idea of 'I'm the One' to mean 'I'm gonna be your sperm, baby.' When he told me the idea I thought, 'Oh no, shades of Woody Allen!', but when I got on that skateboard in that sperm costume, I don't know, things just started to work for me. Don't forget, we spend a lot of our time being incredibly stupid and silly."

Bite Me Bambi - Hot Lava

For years OC has supported the likes of Social Distortion, The Offspring, Lit, The Vandals, Cold War Kids, Young the Giant, and Dirty Heads. Sure, there’s been a ton of great bands that’ve come out of the OC, but it was the 90’s that really put the spotlight here. It was the third wave of ska, and it was a golden age for local music. These bands fused ska with punk and lit up the airwaves. Bands that were part of that explosion were My Superhero, Save Ferris, The Aquabats, Reel Big Fish and No Doubt. The music gods specifically smiled upon No Doubt. They drew international recognition to the genre and the OC. Ever since, Orange County has been the end-all-be-all for all that is cool about music.

Unfortunately, it’s been a minute or two since that was the case. For decades, Orange County has had a thriving music community; and now… the OC is poised to take back the power with a band called Bite Me Bambi. Fourth wave ska has been percolating for a bit. Bite Me Bambi fits all the boxes to be the next big thing. They’ve played a handful of shows, and now they’re about to debut a new album, music video and a headlining show is just around the corner March 29 at House of Blues Anaheim. From top to bottom, they represent the best of OC ska.

On Tuesday they released a new video for their song "Hot Lava" and it is a great little ska punk song. The track follows a string of singles from 2019. You can check out the new video below.

Spanish Love Songs - Losers, Pt. 2

Spanish Love Songs are an LA based band described as punk with pop punk and emo vibes about them. They recently released their 3rd album Brave Faces Everyone. They are a band that wear their trauma on their sleeves and vent their various frustrations via their Menzingers-ish, gruff-yet-melodic punk rock and have done so since 2015’s debut LP, Giant Sings The Blues. Things are no better on this record. As this album’s title suggests everything is fucked. These are tales of broken hearts and broken homes, drug abuse and booze, friends dying and loved ones lying, not to mention the drudgery of day-to-day life in a world that will be this bleak forever and there’s nothing anybody can do about it.

Losers, Pt. 2 tells it like it is and rips your heart out accordingly. From the opening vignette of staring at the house you grew up in that you can no longer afford to own post-financial crisis, to the classic Spanish Love Songs bridge in which Dylan solemnly sings, ‘You know, if we weren’t bailed out every time by our parents, we’d be dead,’ the track is a throttling series of truths that cut deep into the millennial psyche. In that respect, the song does what punk rock was always meant to - strike a deep chord with a searingly unpleasant truth.

“This is another case of taking what we do well and trying to focus it outwards,” says Dylan. “I’ve had plenty of people ask why the songs continue to get bleaker and bleaker, but I feel like the answer is pretty obvious. This is the world we know. It’s the world I see my friends stuck in, and that I’ve seen my family stuck in. Everyone works themselves to the bones to just survive. Not to say that we’re not incredibly privileged — I’m aware — but I wanted to look outward and just acknowledge that for the roughly 99 per cent of us, life is an endless grind, so it’s okay to feel down on it. Like, of course you’re anxious when you could fall and hit your head and have you entire life derailed by hospital bills.

“So Losers is the anthem where we try to be defiant and throw up a middle finger — whatever, ‘we’re losers forever.’ But Losers 2 is the hangover. It’s us wrapping our heads around that grind, and feeling like we can’t escape it. And like so much of the album, it’s about trying to empathise with others over this collective gloom.”

Huntingtons - Too Old To Care

The first album in 17 years for Baltimore Ramones worshippers, Huntingtons. Forming in the mid 90's, Muerto, Carcel, O Rocanrol! is their 8th full length. There's been plenty of line up changes down the years but currently they feature original vocalist & bassist Mike Holt and original guitarist & backing vocalist Jonathan "Cliffy" Walker alongside guitarist & backing vocalist Josh Blackway and drummer Chris Eller. The album's title symbolizes the possibilities that exist after 25 years together... Muerto (Dead; they played a "final" show in 2005), Carcel (Jail; where they'd have been without expanding their sound and taking risks) and O Rocanrol! (Rock n Roll; where they are now doing what they want, when they want).

The album is 14 tracks long, it's good value for money with over half of the tracks reaching 3 minutes or longer. It's not a new band banging out a dozen sub 2 minute songs at warp speed, it's the sound of a band that's been around the block and who have taken the time to craft something a little more substantial.

I am sharing the opening track ‘Too Old to Care’ which is also one of the stand out tracks on the album for me. Like another veteran band, Starflyer 59, they too are pining the realities of aging. Unlike that band, however, Huntingtons take a more cynical approach: “Took a listen to your playlist/Tried my best but man it’s not my thing. The modern royals might get your worship, but if you ask me J is still the king. It’s fine by me to not agree, and I’m aware. But I’m too old to care.” The catchy chorus and vocal harmonies had me singing along upon first listen.

While it’s too simplistic to identify them simply as Ramones-clones, it’s also no longer accurate to think of them as pop-punk. There’s a much more traditional approach to punk taken this time around, and yet the refined production suits the music. Raw and fast, and yet each instrument can be heard clearly which is a rare feat to achieve in this genre and for those reasons it is definitely worth giving it a shot.

Cock Sparrer - Nothing Like You

If you're a fan of Oi! music you'll have noticed that it has been undergoing a resurgence over the last couple of years with many great new bands putting out some brilliant music. It's not only the current generation that are thriving, today I'm posting a song by a band that's graced the scene for longer than there's been a scene as they formed back in 1972! Cock Sparrer released a new album back in 2017 and it is well worth your time if it passed you by. Titled Forever and whilst it might not be to the liking of those who prefer their street music raw and gritty, for the rest of us it's chock full of catchy, sing along punk rock anthems that will slot nicely into their live sets. Any band still releasing music so many years after getting together deserves respect but when they can still keep up with the new breed, then you can't really ask for any more than that.

This is Nothing Like You. It's catchy and comes with some great lyrics.

 

Never been one to walk that road
I've never been one to do as I'm told
I've never been one to forget what I'm taught
I've never been outrun, I've never been outfought

I was born in a house like you, on a street like you
In a town like you, every day I went to school like you
Played the fool like you, broke the rules like you

Never seen sence in staying too long
I've never seen sence in righting my wrongs
I've never seen sence in trying to fit
I've never seen the end, I've never had to quit

There's a thousand people I wanna be
Role models and heroes for all to see
People who care, hearts that are true
I'm just nothing like you

Never had to need to live the dream
Never had to need to make the team
I've never had to need to act like you
I've never told a lie you never told the true

I'm nothing like you

The Flatliners - Resuscitation Of The Year

The Flatliners are a punk rock band from Richmond Hill and Brampton, Ontario, Canada. Since their formation in 2002, The Flatliners have been a growing influence in the Toronto punk/ska movement as well as other areas of the Greater Toronto Area. They have 5 albums under their belt and their album Dead Language was nominated for a 2014 Juno Award in the category of Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year. Released on Fat Wreck, I am going with the opener from Dead Language which is Resuscitation of the Year. It features lots of quick drumming, cool guitar interplay and fun gang vocals and is a great track in its own right never mind as an album opener and an introduction to the band.

Stiff Richards - DIG

Stiff Richards are 5 blokes from Melbourne playing tunes "straight from the shed straight to your head..." Those blokes are part of a growing number of Aussie punk bands doing good things. If you're a fan of balls out rock n roll then Oz is where you should cast your gaze.

There's nothing fancy going on here: just raw, savage rock n' roll that kicks you straight in the teeth and comes back for more. You've got guitars firing at full fury, a punishing rhythm section and a madman howler on lead vocals who probably literally spits fire.

All their songs are winners, snotty garage stompers packed with riffs and attitude. I have had their latest release on repeat and could have posted a number of songs. In the end I have decided to go with title track and opener DIG which is a great example of what they do.


 

The Lawrence Arms - Quincentuple Your Money

The Lawrence Arms are an American punk rock band from Chicago who formed in 1999. Prior to forming the Lawrence Arms, the three band members were active in other well known Chicago-area bands. Brendan Kelly had played in the ska punk band Slapstick which also featured Dan Andriano of Alkaline Trio fame. Chris McCaughan had played in Tricky Dick before joining Kelly in The Broadways. McCaughan and Kelly also shared an apartment together on Chicago's north side. Neil Hennessy, meanwhile, had played in a band called Baxter. Both Slapstick and The Broadways released albums on Asian Man Records, a small record label based in Monte Sereno, California that would later release albums by The Lawrence Arms.

I am sharing Quincentuple Your Money which is the second track from their 2005 B-side's album Cocktails & Dreams. I love the bassline and the catchyness of this song. The lyrics are great as well - "There's these kids who have dreams and there's these dreams that will grow until they get so goddamn big that they explode and what's left in the smoke and the falling debris is grownups like them and losers like me".

Brilliant.

PUP - Reservoir

PUP (abbreviation for Pathetic Use of Potential) is a Canadian punk rock band formed in Toronto, Ontario in 2010. Frenetic, diverse and horribly addictive, PUP make a hell of a noise. Technically they are punk rock but you’ll also hear straight up rock songs and punk pop. That’s one of the things which make PUP great, especially on the first listen when you’re not quite sure what might be next.

Their self-titled album came out in 2013 and it is a great debut. The one two punch of Guilt Trip and Reservoir really do hit you across the face. Reservoir is my favourite and really showcases PUPs strengths.

The vocals soar and growl all over this record but this is by no means a solo vocal effort. Gang vocals from all 4 members deliver a big punch to PUPs sound and this is where I think they’re at their best. Reservoir is a prime example of this being used to great effect. The main refrain ‘meet me at the reservoir’ is repeated in this song and is catchy as hell. I caught them supporting The Menzingers a couple of years back and this song went down a storm as you'd expect. Great track and great energy all round.

The Exbats - Hercules / Iolaus

These are a father/daughter line up of drummer/vocalist Inez McLain and guitarist/vocalist Kenny McLain from Tucson, Arizona. Influences are numerous (The Monkeys, Ramones, Blondie, Velvet Underground etc.) and hopefully they'll melt the hearts of some of the grizzled old punks out there. 

Depending where you find this track, it is either named Hercules or Iolaus. It is a tribute to Michael Hurst, the New Zealand actor who played Iolaus in both Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess and I think it is a catchy little delight of a song. I think there is just something really simple yet catchy about it. The video is pretty cool as well.

Guerilla Poubelle - Apocalypse 6:12

Guerilla Poubelle is a French DIY punk band formed in 2003. The name translates to 'Dustbin (Garbage Can) Guerrilla' in English. Their lyrics are based on anarchist and existentialist beliefs and the band are DIY enthusiasts, lead singer and guitarist Till being behind the record label and concert promoter Guerilla Asso founded in 2004.

They've racked up over a thousand shows and their debut album sold over 20,000 copies. They've recently returned with new album L'Ennui and it's bloody good so go check it out on their labels site or on Bandcamp as name your price.

The album was written on the road and recorded in Montreal between two concerts. The press release proclaims it as "raw and virulent" and describes how "it slings down neo-liberalism, contempt for class, consumerism, gender stereotypes and other cuttings from this sick society that oppresses us every day a little more." The lyrics may be sung in their native French but help is on hand from Bandcamp as each of the songs contains an explanatory paragraph in English. As well as quality punk rock tunes we also get to discover that the album deals with Albert Camus writing about how he "deplores the lack of sense in our life, the boredom inherent in these modern times. Useless jobs, immured families and comfortable leisures make us apathetic". There's also a song that draws a parallel between a famous rapper and a corrupt politician and another describing how capitalism feeds our obsession with borders and boundaries to create a climate of fear and distrust. Hell, you get the idea... it's intelligent, political punk that'll make you both move and think.

I have gone with Apocalypse 6:12 which is probably the one that stood out to me the most on my first listen through. It takes a more mid-tempo path and I really enjoyed the exchanging of vocals between different members of the band for the chorus, something that is mirrored between the bass and guitar melodies as well. The track is accompanied by a video they've based on the 1973 movie The Society Of Spectacle which was itself based on a 1967 book written by Situationist Guy Debord.

Apologies, I Have None - Everybody Wants To Talk About Mental Health

Apologies, I Have None are a melancholic, punk-influenced quartet from London. They started off as a two piece drums and guitar band, consisting of Dan Bond and Josh Mckenzie before expanding and adding a drummer and bassist to the line up.

Everybody Wants To Talk About Mental Health was not the track I was going to share, but it feels quite apt at the moment. The song is about not always wanting to talk about your problems and finding other ways to get a release. Josh flicks switches between calm and angry on the track which gives the song so much life with the spite and venom in Josh's vocals at the end of the song is fantastic and you can really feel his anger. It doesn't get much more real than this.




Goal
Motion is my one and only goal
Stagnation is the deepest fear I hold
Waves of indecision they make short work of these plans
And wash away the walls of my resolve
I guess nothing lasts
Nothing lasts

And so it goes
But is anyone themselves
Bound to current trends for beauty
Shackled to the never ending scramble for wealth?
Yeah I'd love to remember a single time that I was a real person but
I'm not convinced that I ever really was
I guess nothing lasts
Nothing lasts
I guess nothing lasts
Nothing lasts

I know it's fucked up
I know it's a cold cold world
Turn our backs and leave
We could just turn our backs and leave

Is it worth it
The fight?
The pushing back against the constant caving in of life?
When all our epitaphs will read the same
When our time has passed
Here lies one whose name was writ in water
I guess nothing lasts

Bad Religion - Stranger Than Fiction

Bad Religion is an American punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1980 and are therefore celebrating 40 years as a band this year. Their lyrics cover topics related to religion, politics, and science. Musically, they are noted for their melodic sensibilities and extensive use of three-part vocal harmonies. With around 17 albums under their belt, it is always a challenge to share just one song. 

I am going with the title track from their 1994 release, Stranger Than Fiction. This sums them up for me with a great guitar line and fantastic lyrics. A band that have consistently delivered and a song that always gets added to a playlist for me. 



A febrile shocking violent smack
And the children are hoping for a heart-attack
Tonight the windows are watching
The streets all conspire
And the lamppost can't stop crying
If I could fly high above the world
Would I see a bunch of living dots spell the word stupidity?
Or would I see hungry lover homicides
Loving brother suicides and olly olly oxen frees
Who pick a side and hide?

The world is scratching at my door
My morning paper's got the scores
The human interest stories
And the obituary, oh yeah

Cockroach naps, rattling traps
How many devils can you fit upon a match head?
Caringosity killed the Kerouac cat
Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction

In my alley around the corner
There's a wino with feathered shoulders
And a spirit giving head for crack and he'll never want it back
There's a little kid and his family eating crackers like thanksgiving
And a pack of wild desperadoes scornful of living

The world is scratching at my door
My morning paper has the scores
The human interest stories
And the obituary, oh yeah

Cradle for a cat, Wolfe looks back
How many angels can you fit upon a match?
I want to know why Hemingway cracked
Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction

Life is the crummiest book I ever read, there isn't a hook
Just a lot of cheap shots, pictures to shock
And characters an amateur would never dream up
Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction