Special: First Listen Thoughts: Dropkick Murphys "Turn Up That Dial", Meet Me @ The Altar - Model Citizen EP, Trash Boat "Don't You Feel Amazing"

Dropkick Murphys - Turn Up That Dial

Label: Born & Bred Records

Press release: The latest effort from the Boston band will arrive on April 30 via Born & Bred Records, and co-frontman Ken Casey hopes that it will take “people’s minds off their troubles". "We’re so fortunate and grateful to be in the position to share a little happiness in our own way” he said. “Our gratitude levels are off the chart. Twenty five years ago, somebody bet me 30 bucks I couldn’t form a band with three weeks’ notice to open for his band. As kids, we’d never been out of New England and here we are – we’ve made 10 records and have been all over the globe. If there’s a message to this album, it’s ‘put your fist up and play it loud.'”

My thoughts: THE Celtic band is back. Everyone knows at least one Dropkick Murphys song even if it's just the riff to mega-hit "I'm Shipping Up To Boston". Turn Up That Dial is another dose of celtic punk party music that at this point I heard half the record thanks to singles roll out (though I realize at this point the album has been out for 4 months it's on me). The best songs are L-E-E-B-O-Y and City By The Sea with the other deepcuts lacking in energy compared to the singles and the previously mentioned City By The Sea. 

Meet Me @ The Altar - Model Citizen EP

Label: Fueled By Ramen

Press release: Meet Me @ The Altar's full six-track EP, Model Citizen, is due out on August 13. MM@TA enthuse: ​“We are so incredibly excited about Model Citizen being our first major release on Fueled By Ramen – these are absolutely our best songs to date. “Model Citizen was originally a different set of songs, but we decided to throw it all out just days before the EP was due because we knew we could write a more cohesive story with lots of energy. With a heavy easycore influence, we hope Model Citizen knocks everyone out of their seats!”

My thoughts: I was surprised the first 2 singles (Garden & Hit Like A Girl) were not found on this EP. Not that I'm complaining as I was surprised that I had only previously heard 2 songs, and Brighter Days is still pretty new to me. Those tracks deserve a home on a future release, weather it's a full length or a deluxe version of this EP since we also got an acoustic rendition of Feel A Thing featuring Dan Campbell of the Wonder Years. In any event let's deal with the tracks at hand. Feel A Thing is a certified bop as are all the other tracks in fact Brighter Days might be the weakest track on this 6 track EP. This will likely be near the top of most people's EP's of the year list (myself included)

Trash Boat - Don't You Feel Amazing

Label: Hopeless Records

Press release: Trash Boat have announced details of their upcoming third album Don’t You Feel Amazing? – the follow-up to 2018’s Crown Shyness. The St Albans pop-punks are set to release LP number three on August 13 via Hopeless Records. Vocalist Tobi Duncan says “The album itself is unapologetic and candid wherever it goes. I’ve taken a far more direct approach lyrically and want to leave little to the imagination. We are exposed to so much of the world everyday now, to comprehend everything going on today is too much for any one person. It’s all inconsistent and overwhelming. Each song represents my frustration, desires, struggle, hedonism, pain and redemption while being bluntly honest about each topic.”

My thoughts: Trash Boat has leveled up with each album they release and this is the farthest they've travelled from the pop punk realm. Clearly UK artists such as Architects and Bring Me The Horizon have influenced them a good deal. There's still songs that throwback to that classic Trash Boat sound (Love Without Needing, He's So Good) but the vast majority of songs play with new pop infused sounds (Bad Entertainment, Maladaptive Daydreaming) or darker and heavier material (Vertigo, Idios). No matter what you're into you'll likely find a few songs up your alley on this record.

Special: First Listen Thoughts: Rise Against "Nowhere Generation", Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! "Gone Are The Good Days", Against The Current "Fever EP"

Rise Against - Nowhere Generation

Label: Loma Vista Recordings

Press release: Lauded US punk outfit Rise Against is back with a provocative and dynamic new album, Nowhere Generation, the group’s first new studio effort in four years. On the upcoming release, the outspoken band points a finger at big business and politics for stacking the social and economic deck against Millennials’, Gen Y’s, and Gen Z’s pursuit of The American Dream. Musically, the album is blazing, aggressive punk rock; lyrically, the eleven songs were inspired in part by input from band members’ young children and Rise Against’s community of fans. Nowhere Generation is set for a June 4 release and is Rise Against’s first with new label Loma Vista Recordings.

My thoughts: You could argue that over 20 years into their career Rise Against are likely too far removed from the problems that they saw in their younger days but singer Tim McIlrath and the rest of the band are able to keep going strong by going with what they see as well as what the younger generation is living through (as mentioned above) although not as powerful as Siren Song or The Sufferer & The Witness but this is still a solid batch of songs (4 of which were released prior to the album releasing in full). The best deep cuts are honestly found on the back half (not terribly surprising since the 4 aforementioned songs are found on the front half) with Sooner Or Later being the stand out for me.

Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! - Gone Are The Good Days

Label: Fearless Records

Press release: “Chunk is back — FINALLY,” says vocalist Bertrand Poncet. “Our last album came out six years ago. Since then, we’ve grown so much as individuals and as a band. We have had a lot more life experience, as humans and as musicians, to draw from. In addition to producing this record ourselves, we experimented with our songwriting approach and have tried new things that we cannot wait for you to hear. Don’t worry. It still has all the old Chunk feels that you know and love – with a fresh new sound that will knock you off your feet.”

My thoughts: Nostalgia is obviously a big thing right now and that's the theme throughout the album that was mostly worked on pre-pandemic but tinkered with over it. In a pandemic world that nostalgic feeling is even more important. Not that Chunk! is simply rehashing their previous albums as their is a lot of playing with sounds here some turned out rather well (Pinkillers) and some not so well (Good Luck). The highlights include all 3 singles, especially the latest, Complete You, a mid-tempo banger of a song featuring AJ Perdermo of The Dangerous Summer along with the heavy hitters (Made For More, True Colors) and Blame It On This Song which was released way back in August 2016. The low point for me was probably Tongue Tied. It's just a little bit too slow and somber for me but I can appreciate what the band were trying to do.

Against The Current - Fever EP

Label: Fueled By Ramen

Press release: Fueled By Ramen recording artist Against The Current have announced their new EP fever, arriving July 23rd. The seven-track collection marks the first new body of work since the group's 2018 album Past Lives. "I wanted to encapsulate the maddening feeling of being trapped in a vicious cycle in your own head, and especially show that just because it's all in your head, doesn't at all detract from how real and potent that feeling can be," commented frontwoman Chrissy Costanza.

My thoughts: So I had already heard the first four tracks before the album since ATC like dripping singles before an album announcement. The band recently announced this would be EP1 and there will be a second EP that together would comprise an album and it's definitely some of the best work they've done on a record since their debut album and with time I may end up liking this EP better than their early EP releases. The four singles are solid so let's focus on the three "new to me" songs. Shatter is a slow repetitive song that didn't do anything for me. Burn It Down throw it back to their pop rock roots that reminds me of those early EP's I love. Lullaby is a dark rock track similar to their debut album and I'm all here for it. It appears this could be the deep cut with the most staying power unless ATC opts for a post release video.

Special: First Listen Thoughts: A Day To Remember "You're Welcome", Jetty Bones "Push Back", First And Forever "Let This Love Lie Dead"

A Day To Remember - You're Welcome

Label: Fueled By Ramen

Press release: “It’s finally here – almost!” enthuses frontman Jeremy McKinnon. ​“To all our fans around the world, we want to say, ​‘Thank you!’ You’ve waited patiently, and we can’t wait for you to hear this. There’s a lot of detail in everything we do from the mixes to the artwork, because it all tells a story. So, we made sure each element was perfect. Every line happens for a reason. We took what we envision modern music to be and made a hybrid of who we were, who we are, and who we want to be. It took a lot of maneuvering to get it right, but we feel like we did. We’re here now and very happy to present You’re Welcome.”

My thoughts: There are some forgettable tracks on this release (Only Money, Bloodsucker), but this record isn't nearly as bad as everyone is making it out to be. Sure some songs have weaker lyrics (Viva La Mexico) but generally the music saves it and those that have a mailed in sound (High Diving) gets saved by the lyrics and melodies.

Jetty Bones - Push Back

Label: Rise Records

Press release: Today, the singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Jetty Bones (aka Kelc Galluzzo) has announced that the she will be releasing her debut album, Push Back, on February 26th via Rise Records. Push Back features songs that dart between alt/pop, indie-rock, and even a hint of bluegrass stomp-and-clamp. “I started focused on my mental health, followed my own medicine, practiced what I preached, and actually took care of my brain. This record is more definitive of the project, because I was intentional with it. I worked through everything” says Galluzzo.

My thoughts: The honesty is refreshing on Push Back. Most people act metaphorical about mental health struggles instead of just saying what happens as Jetty Bones does on this album. The singles That's All and Nothing were my introduction to Jetty Bones and I enjoyed both quite a bit (especially the latter). The other standout track was Taking Up Space which was another single that I missed last year. Everything else is a melding of sounds, ideas and genres some were stronger (Woke Up Crying) than others (Bug Life) but overall it's an interesting album that deserves more spins. 

First And Forever - Let This Love Lie Dead

Label: Adventure Cat Records

Press release: Rock elements and emo charms interweave here. First And Forever try to escape the traumas of day-to-day life on their new EP: Let This Love Lie Dead. They spark truth throughout these 5 songs, a collection which seems mature and well-constructed, a small batch which will alert the emo contingent. And for all the sorrow, there is a party atmosphere.

My thoughts: Although I don't agree with the top portion here about "rock" this is a pop punk EP with emo throughout. Think The Great Depression era As It Is but not necessarily as strong. First And Forever is on the rise however and I definitely think that in a few years when they release their debut full length they'll be primed to explode.

Special: First Listen Thoughts: All Time Low "Wake Up, Sunshine", Courage My Love "Spectra", MxPx "MxPx (Deluxe)"

All Time Low - Wake Up Sunshine

Label: Fueled By Ramen

Press release: The Baltimore pop-punk kings will be releasing Wake Up, Sunshine – the follow-up to 2017’s Last Young Renegade – on April 3 via Fueled By Ramen, with frontman Alex Gaskarth explaining of how it came about: “We got back to how we started. It had been a long time since the four of us made a record under one roof. That became a central theme. We’ve been a band for 17 years. Everybody brought something to the table. A lot of what you’re hearing came from those magic moments together.”

My thoughts: This is definitely a throwback as they've backed away from the sound found on their previous record with the exception of a few tracks (which are generally the worst ones, no offence). It's still a mature record for a formerly immature band but they kept the sound their fans love from their earlier releases and mixed in the strong lyrics we've become used to from ATL over their last handful of albums. Most of these songs will end up on heavy rotation for me which I can not say about LYR.

Courage My Love - Spectra

Label: Mutie Productions

Press release: None found.

My thoughts: Courage My Love has definitely gone underground with this EP after releasing their last full length on a major labe. This 7 song EP is listed as from Mutie Productions which I found no references about. This EP continues to build on the sound the band found on the aforementioned full length (2017's Synethesia). Everybody's Lonely and Teenagers are among the highlights found on this seven track release. Built on strong 80's vibes including catchy melodies and synths this is a strong release from the band even if they will never go back to their pop punk roots.

MxPx - MxPx (Deluxe)

Label: Self-Released

Press release: Pop-punk mavericks MxPx are doing their part to keep your lockdown as adrenaline-charged as possible. The long-running band will be streaming a deluxe edition of their 2018 self-titled record Tuesday April 14th (Monday night at midnight EST). This edition will include the full original 11-song album, four bonus tracks and five acoustic versions. “We always expected to release the rest of these songs when the time was right,” says vocalist/bassist Mike Herrera. “I think with an almost full industry shutdown, this makes the most sense.”

My thoughts: So basically this album contains both MxPx's 2018 releases, the 11 self titled tracks as well as the Best Life EP which featured 2 songs and 2 accoustic versions of songs from the self-titled. The Deluxe gives us 3 more accoustic renditions and 2 brand new songs. I'll focus on the brand new songs as the self-titled was fine upon first listen in 2018 but the songs have really grown on me since. The 2 brand new songs are along the same vein. That's Life is the stronger of the two with a bouncy chorus that's bound to get stuck in your head.