…o hardcore melódico ainda existe — e, o mais impressionante, empolga — os californianos do Set Your Goals (dá-lhe CIV!) e seu segundo álbum de estúdio, This Will Be The Death Of Us.

O CD saiu esse ano pela Epitaph Records, tem 12 faixas, diversas participações (Hayley Williams, do Paramore, Chad Gilbert, do New Found Glory, Vinnie Caruana, do I Am the Avalanche e ex-Movielife, e Jon Gula, ex-Turmoil), e muito hardcore melódico e pop punk.

Sem dúvida a banda não vai salvar o mercado fonográfico ou o marasmo musical, mas pra ouvir numa sexta-feira 13 tá ótimo!

Frank Turner released a video for his song “Poetry of the Deed.” Check it out after the jump. The song is the title track to his 2009 album released via Epitaph Records in September.

Motion City Soundtrack are thrilled to announce that they’ll be joining Weezer this December for some select live shows! Kicking off in Chicago December 1st at the Aragon Ballroom, this run will see MCS playing dates in the Midwest and along the East Coast with the like-minded pop rockers. Before heading out on this short trek, Motion City Soundtrack will play to hometown fans and friends at a sold out Triple Rock Social Club show on Halloween Eve aka Mischief night. And directly following the Weezer dates, MCS will return to Chicago for a sold out exclusive three night stand at Lincoln Hall where the band will perform their first three albums in their entirety over three separate nights – I AM THE MOVIE on December 18th, COMMIT THIS TO MEMORY on December 19th, and EVEN IF IT KILLS ME on December 20th.

In the meantime, check out www.motioncitysoundtrack.com for new music and more.

10/30 Triple Rock Social Club (MCS Headline) – Minneapolis, MN *SOLD OUT*
12/01 Aragon Ballroom – Chicago, IL
12/03 Eagles Ballroom – Milwaukee, WI
12/07 Agganis Arena – Boston, MA
12/09 Patriot Center @ George Mason – Fairfax, VA
12/10 Susquehanna Bank Center – Camden, NJ
12/18 Lincoln Hall (MCS Headline/I Am The Movie) – Chicago, IL *SOLD OUT*
12/19 Lincoln Hall (MCS Headline/Commit This to Memory) – Chicago, IL *SOLD OUT*
12/20 Lincoln Hall (MCS Headline/Even If It Kills Me) – Chicago, IL *SOLD OUT*

I am listening to Rancid today, all day. In my house, in my car, it does not matter. Rancid is my band of choice due to the slick and groove saturated Punk Rock style they bestow. They are Street Punk at many turns, yet they are so much from the Old School Punk Rock mold of the Ramones too. Kickin’ and fun, (gasp), did I just use the F word there? In my area today, the weather is miserable – rainy, semi-cold, of course cloudy and dank. What better band for me, than Rancid… to get my energy level back on high and to kick start my day and attitude. I am actually going to settle on one Rancid CD to crank today – …And Out Come The Wolves. The richness and foundation of Rock and Roll 101 is so evident in the Punk Rock of Rancid, especially on this album. My adoration for Rancid grows each and every time I listen to their Punk Rock. Out of the nineteen songs on this album, there is not one to skip over. I apologize to no one for being a rabid Rancid fan. Life is too short, I love the music I listen to – end of Metal story. Uh, not really… Rancid rules.

I have my core Punk Rock Band favorites… getting swallowed up by this addicting genre is an easy thing to do. It is funny, to see me today, driving the family taxi and picking up my daughters from school… you would never know that I am a devout lifetime Metalhead, who is experiencing his Punk Rock fever of Rancid. I’m certain I am not alone… there are too many of us out there who look like the average Johnny or Beatrice… and were cranking up the Metal and/or Punk Rock in the family taxi’s or mini vans. Funny stuff, however, it is the Metal truth.

I just can’t explain it though, there are those certain bands that just make you feel like everything is cool and alright. Rancid is just that band for me. Over the weekend, I just hung up the very large Rancid poster that comes inside their new CD – let the dominoes fall. The front of the poster is the front cover group photo on that CD, (pictured to the left of this paragraph). On the back of the poster are all of the songs lyrics – real cool. I put this poster inside a very large, thick plastic sleeve for protection too. It is hanging up in my Rocked out basement. It serves me right. Plus, my daughters dig Rancid like there is no tomorrow and this poster being hung makes the basement that much more homey for us all. Rancid is a Punk Rock Band that you should give a try, especially those who are sitting on the fence about wanting some Punk Music in their life. The social commentary and relevance of Rancid’s lyrics are entertaining as they are legitimate. In my most honest of Metal opinions, I just cannot resist the damn credibility of Rancid. The overall realness of …And Out Come The Wolves and any of the other Rancid albums overflows. I can’t ever jump onto that dreaded word – Pop, and attach it to this band… never. Rancid is not Pop Punk – period.

So, if you are looking for something really cool to do today, take my advice and buy Rancid …And Out Come The Wolves. If you already have it, you know what I am talking about. (Hey, it is not like I am telling you to go out and buy the latest artificial crap from some televised talent show winner). Here is some more solid advice to adhere to from Metal Odyssey – buy any Rancid CD today and know that this is Punk Rock that was Made In America.

RANCID IS:

Tim Armstrong - vocalist, guitarist and all around musician

Lars Frederiksen - guitarist and vocalist

Matt Freeman - bass guitarist

Branden Steineckert – drums

** Brett Reed was the drummer for Rancid on …And Out Come The Wolves

* …And Out Come The Wolves was released on August 22, 1995.

* let the dominoes fall was released on June 2, 2009.

Converge stormed their way onto the music scene in 1990 combining the sounds of hardcore punk and extreme metal, since they have defined many of the rudiments of the metalcore genre.

Converge released their first full length album, When Forever Comes Crashing, in April 1998 but were not discovered by listeners until releasing their breakthrough album, Jane Doe, in Sep. 2001 on Equal Vision Records. Over time their albums have moved from the independent label to the more mainstream punk label Epitaph Records, which their latest album, Axe to Fall, was released on.  In Sep. 2004, only a few years after their breakthrough album Converge released their first album with Epitaph Records, You Fail Me, which was followed up by No Heroes in Oct. 2006.

Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009 Converge stepped back out of the recording studio with yet another smash, crash and destroy album to show that even after all these years they still got what it takes and released Axe to Fall. Axe to Fall is a collaborative album featuring a number of musicians including members from Cave In, Neurosis and The Red Chord. The album is a mixture of two minute tracks to lengthier compositions, and the shorter tracks continue to show Converge’s strive for improvement as you will find those tracks to be rhythmically more direct then anything these boys have done before.

PopMatters described the album as, “Searing as always, but underneath all the aggression is an accessibility that draws us in while never compromising the musical integrity whatsoever, and the balance between those two disparate characteristics is masterful,” in their review of Converge’s Axe to Fall.

Your copy of Axe to Fall is just waiting for you. Axe to Fall is available in stores at Newbury Comics for $8.99, Bull Moose for $7.99 and at Best Buy for $7.99. If you make your way to Hot Topic you can pick up Axe to Fall and the exclusive t-shirt for just $20. If you don’t feel like leaving the comfort of your computer screen the album is also available for download at iTunes or Amazon MP3.

Later in the year Axe to Fall will be released as a vinyl record through Deathwish Inc.

Michael Buble's Crazy Love's record sales skyrocketed past New Moon's this week after an appearance on Oprah

Not even the New Moon crew could use their vampire powers to outdo Michael Buble’s release of Crazy Love, reports Rolling Stone. The crooner appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, causing album sales to skyrocket to over 55% more than during the record’s first week on shelves, outdoing the new Twilight soundtrack by a score of 203,000 to 115,000, respectively, according to the Nielsen SounScan. Oh, the power of Oprah.

Stereogum gives us a look at last night’s Grizzly Bear gig at the Hollywood Palladium in L.A. with some pretty sweet pictures courtesy of Andrew Youssef. Beach House, the opening act, played a few tracks that will appear on their new release, Teen Dream, due out from Sub Pop Records on January 26^th.

Seattle’s post-hardcore pioneers The Blood Brothers practiced one of the 2000s’ most unique forms of punk, and after their breakup in 2007, fans were left with little to cling to other than their old Blood Brother’s records. Until now, that is. Epitaph Records is planning to re-release the entire The Blood Brothers‘ catalogue, minus their 2000 debut, This Adultery Is Ripe, reports Pitchfork. Look for it to the reissues, which will come stocked by B-sides, videos and live performance videos, when they drop on November 17.

Canada’s Kid Koala, Dynomite D and Wolfmother’s ex-rhythm section Chris Ross and Myles Heskett make up the psych group Slew. Their debut release, 100%, is set to be reissued by Ninja Tune, the label responsible for the likes of Amon Tobin, Blockhead, Bonobo and The Bug, just to name a few, reports Pitchfork. Look for the turntable-heavy sounds of Slew when the record drops on November 24^th.

– John Luposello

Jordan Billie and Mark Gajadhar of the Blood Brothers. Photo taken by Pedro Roque.

In a deal with Epitaph Records, the now defunct Blood Brothers will be re-releasing four of their albums, March on Electric Children (2002), Burn, Piano Island, Burn (2003), Crimes (2004), and Young Machetes (2006), on November 17th.

Out of the Seattle hardcore-punk scene, the Blood Brothers crafted album after album of critically acclaimed and highly influential music. While they remained relatively underground during their ten year existence from 1997 to 2007, their catalog has left an impact on both the punk and hardcore genres. They’ve influenced bands like The Fall of Troy and Foxy Shazam (Anything off The Flamingo Trigger) with their angst soaked punk and pop sensibility, while their duel singing style with Jordan Blilie and Johnny Whitney still remains one of the most potent and original approaches to hardcore-punk music today. Check out one of their singles off of Young Machetes, “Laser Life,” below.

This announcement comes as a real treat for Blood Brother fans. According to Epitaph’s press release, the new releases will come with previously unreleased tracks, remixes, live tracks, music videos and even a live DVD (The out-of-print Jungle Rules DVD from 2003 will come with the reissue of Burn, Piano Island, Burn).

As kind of a personal aside, the Blood Brothers is one of my favorite bands and I’m truly excited to see some of the announced live footage and tracks see the light of day. They were a nasty, unforgiving band who broke the boundaries of many genres to come up with their sound. Their brand of hardcore punk was far beyond anything else coming out of the hardcore scene during the early 2000s and I still hear bands using elements of punk that the Brothers helped to create. Everything from acid-fueled guitar to spastic, cat-like shrieking, breakdowns to keyboard driven punk songs, the Blood Brothers either did it first or better. I’m personally excited to see the Jungle Rules live DVD as I never had the opportunity to see them live before they broke up. Now, the band exists as two separate entities with co-vocalist Johnny Whitney and guitarist Cody Votolato creating the band Jaguar Love, while co-vocalist Jordan Blilie, drummer Mark Gajadhar, bassist Morgan Henderson and the band’s first guitarist Devin Welch creating Past Lives.

Jordan Blilie sat down with Alternative Press to talk about the reissues in a truly band nerd-tastic interview with Jason Pettigrew. It’s definitely worth a read just to hear about the new material that’s going to be released.

Axe to Fall is Converge's seventh studio album and their best

PREVIEW: DOWNLOAD Converge’s “Axe to Fall” MP3
WE GIVE IT: 19/20 Watts

In heavy music, there are only a handful of bands that constantly push their own boundaries and strive to be as forward thinking as possible. For those familiar with hardcore or metal, Converge is obviously one of these bands. Axe to Fall, the seventh studio album from this innovative group, is a reminder that no one fuses aggression and experimentation better than Converge.

Even with fourteen (yes, fourteen) guest musicians lending their talents to Axe To Fall, no other record from the band’s repertoire has ever been able to capture the energy of the core members more accurately than this album. It is truly astonishing how organic the collaborations sound.

Opening track, “Dark Horse,” features a galloping drumbeat and a melodic guitar lead that will certainly take long-time fans by surprise. It isn’t as chaotic as “Concubine” from Jane Doe or “Heartache” from No Heroes, but it is a superbly written song and will likely become an anthem at future live shows. “Axe to Fall,” the title track, is probably the most in-your-face song that Converge has ever written, featuring mind-numbing drum fills, super-technical shredding and a breakdown that could induce anyone to throw down in the pit.

Axe to Fall is a wild ride. Each track is a unique yet equally powerful experience. Perhaps the most unconventional additions to the Converge catalog are “Cruel Bloom” and “Wretched World.” “Cruel Bloom” showcases Steve Von Till’s (Neurosis) haunting voice over a backing choir, soft percussion, piano and acoustic/electric guitar. It’s a beautiful song with a jolting climax that Kurt Ballou commands with a doomy chord progression.

“Wretched World,” the closer, easily rivals “Jane Doe” with its epic quality. Featuring all of Genghis Tron and the drummers of Cave In and The Red Chord, respectively, these seven minutes and eleven seconds are literally impossible to describe with words.

It is possible, however, to realize how integral Converge remain to underground music. The release of Axe to Fall only solidifies this fact and brings the decade to a close with a musical triumph.

– Jeremy Garber

Still strutting their stuff, Every Time I Die’s newest album, New Junk Aesthetic, can simply be described as heavy, fast and eccentric.

New Junk Aesthetic was described by Shawn of Review Rinse Repeat as, “Beginning, the har­mony unit­ing the archaic and mod­ern alike is clearly accounted for.“

These Buffalo boys got together in 1988 and debuted their LP Gutter Phenomenon in 2005, which they used to establish themselves as the new sound in both country and metal. Gutter Phenomenon was the first of many albums to take listeners on a journey in which they had not previously experienced.

New Junk Aesthetic has the same old Every Time I Die sound, the album lacks amounts of new creativity, yet highlights the bands talents. So may argue that Every Time I Die needs to adjust their sound to the “new metal listeners,” but why? They have established a strong sound that has drawn in numerous fans.

Drew Beringer of Absolute Punk explained why in his review of Every Time I Die’s latest release.

“Every Time I Die wants to destroy the world. While their previous albums have inflicted some damage on Mother Earth, the Buffalo quintet is not satisfied. The fact of the matter is ETID wants to leave their mark, so they’ve promised that their fifth studio album (and Epitaph debut), New Junk Aesthetic, would blow a huge gaping asshole into the earth,” explained Beringer.  “So if you’ve felt the earth shake recently, that’s just me recklessly playing this album way too loud, as New Junk Aesthetic is the heaviest Every Time I Die record to date.“

As the life of both the party and the funeral, Every Time I Die opens on a strong yet smooth note with Roman Holiday (track 1). Roman Holiday begins to set the mood for the rest of the album and fully captures attention. Using the unique combined sound of a car halting to a screeching stop and a pre show tuning to open and close the track, Every Time I Die allows you a moment to pause and embrace what is going to happen and what has just happened.

Missing the unrolling screams of vocalist Keith Buckley, don’t worry they are soon to come, along with a new surprise as K. Buckley tries his hand at melodic singing.

Prepare yourself, because the tracks to fallow Roman Holiday are rapid, violent, atrocious and powerful.

Who Invited The Russian Soldier? (track 3) is the first track on the album to fully embrace the bands brutality. Drummer, Mike Novak, hits the pause right on beat and fulfills the silence with that hardly capture his talents. Mixed in with the vicious drums are dramatic guitars, as Jordan Buckley and Any Williams, just begin to showcase their talents.

Incase you forgot that Every Time I Die is not your typical band (as if that is possible), they remind you with Wanderlust (track 4).

While Buffalo may not scream southern blues,  K. Buckley makes this stereotype seem ridiculous. Prepare your ears to be dumbfounded as K. Buckley successfully mixes his unrolling screams with the sound of sweet southern blues to create a twangy brutal sound. Along with him, guitarist, J. Buckley and Williams, exeunt their talent changing tempos and using a mixture of unique sounds.

Continuing to show case their talents, Every Time I Die continues on their musical journey to For the Record (track 5). Their lyrical skills are more than exemplified on For the Record, as K. Buckley’s lyric-writing becomes choppy and poetic. While the lines are embellished in K. Buckley’s screams, take a moment to read the lyrics and truly enjoy the tale of a fugitive who finally got caught.

An attacking lyrical opening leads into a strong ranting and back to attacking, as Every Time I Die takes the call and response out of the interments and hands the responsibility over to K. Buckley. But, J. Buckley,  Williams, Novak and Josh Newton, bassist, do not take a back seat on this track (or any for that matter). Guitar, bass and drums all rage on with simple beats and rhythms that combined to capture their true talents, For the Record allows these boys to proclaim that they have mastered the back-to-basics and can spice it up with a touch of personality.

Every Time I Die continues to storm on track after track with a new attack and story.  Buffalo 666 (track 12) provides as a closing intensified metal track in which K. Buckley proves his mastered skill of screaming.

New Junk Aesthetic ends on a fun and unique sound. Goddamn Kids These Days (track 13) incorporates everything that you have heard on the previous tracks to create an ending masterpiece. Amongst various tempo changes, you will find K. Buckley move from unrolling screams, at times with a blunt forcefulness to melodic singing which creates a sound that captures your ears and makes you wonder where the band is going to take their sound next. From fast to slow, unrolling to blunt, Goddamn Kids These Days is a powerful call out to all who have failed to listen to the mistakes of those who came before them.

Whether the sound is the same as the last album or not, Every Time I Die has done what they do best and made a commotion. Their big depute on Epitaph Records, “Further refined their signature approach with a new sonic clarity and an occasional focus on melodic hooks,” said Pemberton Roach of All Music.

New Junk Aesthetic is nothing to be looked over, but a simple step forward and sampler of what more Every Time I Die posses to offer in the future.

Motion City Soundtrack set to perform their first three albums in their entirety over three separate nights -
12/18 I Am The Movie
12/19 Commit This To Memory
12/20 Even If It Kills Me

Motion City Soundtrack are giving fans a holiday season treat this year when they spend three nights at Chicago’s newest venue – Lincoln Hall – in December. The band will be taking a look back at their seven year career when they perform their first three albums in their entirety over three separate nights – I Am the Movie on the 18th, Commit This to Memory on the 19th and Even if it Kills Me on the 20th. Tickets will go on sale on Friday October 23rd at 12pm and fans will be able to buy a three show pass for $49.99 and a single show ticket for $20. For more information you can visit the band’s web site: www.motioncitysoundtrack.com and the venue’s web site: www.lincolnhallchicago.com

New Zealand doesn’t get too many bands visit from overseas, let alone two heavy-weights at one single show. So when news broke earlier this year that Bad Religion and Nofx would play the Auckland Town Hall together, the punk scene was stoked.

Name any modern punk band and either Bad Religion or Nofx influenced their sound or gave them their break. Both bands born in the earlier 1980s, they have led the way for countless other bands, and are still going strong as Nofx surpasses 25 years and 30 years beckon for Bad Religion.

One of the hordes of bands who owe a lot to these pioneers is Pour Habit, a recent Fat Wreck Chords signing, who opened the Town Hall show. Hailing from Compton, CA, Pour Habit is really unlike most punk bands we see on our shores. Soundwise, the vocalist, an acrobatic African American, reminds me of early Tim McIlrath (Rise Against), and the band is heavy, with souring Strung Out-esque guitar solos and thunderous drumming.

Considering punk is usually about equality, acceptance and (sometimes) inclusiveness, it is a shame the scene isn’t more diverse. Hopefully Pour Habit will break more stereotypes and entice more non-whiteys away from rap and RnB and towards punk.

On to the main show, and the self-proclaimed “Sultans of Slander” took to the stage. Well known as a band who talk a lot between songs Nofx did not stray from convention, with more talk than Muammar al-Gaddafi at the United Nations before they’d even played a note, with Fat Mike quipping the instruments were “props”. Apart from a few exceptions the band played a very different setlist than previous visits, which would have pleased those who had seen them before, but likely disappointed new-comers to the band. Nonetheless the band played with enthusiasm and got nothing less from the packed crowd, with mayhem on the floor and the balconies.

With all the banter and a few rubbish songs performed, Nofx could have thrown in The Decline or a few other crowd pleasers, but with Nofx, fans should understand to expect no more than 70 or so percent.

Bad Religion took up their positions on the stage and got right into Los Angeles is Burning. They sounded flat and unenthusiastic. The single was followed by much debate and a hasty sound check. The crowd got restless but the work was worth it, as the sound was greatly improved as was the attitude of the band. Bad Religion came to please and so wanted the best sound possible. Many songs were made heavier, with the guitars producing the heaviest-sounding palm-muting imaginable, which gave the songs extra fury. Drummer Brooks Wackerman was a marvel, beyond describable. Surprisingly Bad Religion only played one track of their latest album New Maps of Hell (2007), instead playing several from Recipe for Hate, the Grey Race and many from the early 1980s.

Next year should see a new album from the world’s greatest band, and if we’re lucky, having found a shores for the first time in only 2007, Bad Religion will be back. If they do, don’t miss it for the world, as they are one hell of a fine live band.

Frank Turner – Poetry Of The Deed
Released: September 7, 2009
Label: Xtra Mile Recordings / Epitaph Records

Now, it must be said that I’ve been a fan of Frank Turner’s musical exploits. Having been pleasantly surprised at catching the band that sparked his career on the road (Million who?!) at a pre-’Casually Dressed’ Funeral For A Friend show, I later headed out to my local record store to pick up the debut Million Dead album, A Song To Ruin. I’ve never looked back since.

6 years on, and many songs about nostalgia later, Frank Turner returns to my stereo with his third full-release, Poetry Of The Deed. So, what’s it like?

Well, yes, the authentic Frank formula is still intact. The social commentary on ‘da yoof’, punk rock, lost loves, and maybe most importantly, the hazy drunken nights out are still sung with as much passion as if it happened yesterday. Of course, with Frank, there’s always a projected impression on the listener that it did in fact all happen only yesterday. Yet, the big difference between Poetry Of The Deed and the two full length records that preceded it is that it sounds as if it has been written and arranged with the backing band in mind.

Even after several listens, this writer is still unsure as to whether or not this is a positive step for a lone singer-songwriter who has forged a career as being just that. Poetry Of The Deed features some fantastically articulated folk punk songs with a handful likely to find themselves on a future Radio 1 playlist with ease. Though, and as I finish listening to the record once more, I’m left a little underwhelmed by the experience. Sure, songs such as Isabel, Live Fast Die Old, and The Fastest Way Back Home are wonderfully written stabs at pop but as I skip through the rest of the record (I’ve even found myself calling it ‘the rest’), I’m left with the sour feeling that Frank was writing for a band and not for himself. To me, the appeal of Frank Turner laid in his ability to write naturally simple, stripped down punk songs. Call it a progression if you will, an evolution if you must, but with the increased prominence of his backing band, Poetry Of The Deed is not gripping. If anything, some of its thirteen tracks find me hovering over the skip button, a button I never hoped to press when listening to Frank Turner.

July 10th, 2009 – Sing It Loud @ Vans Warped Tour 09, Toronto

En este episodio vamos a hablar sobre temas que han salido recientemente. Por ejemplo:

Warrior Soul
Judas Priest
Megadeth
Gallows
Alexisonfire
Arkaea
Twisted Sister
Tim “Ripper” Owens
Dream Theater
CKY
Seventh Void

Ademas hablamos sobre:

Talking Metal, George Bush, Guantanamo, New York Times, Guns N Roses, Metallica, Death Magnetic, The Clash, Bad Religion, Epitaph Records, Kerrang, Iron Maiden, Linkin Park, Fear Factory, Threat Signal, Dio, AC/DC, Savatage, Ozzy Osbourne, Nevermoore, Queensryche, Billy Idol, David Lee Roth, Korn, Quiet Riot, Riot, The Firm, Blue Murder, Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell, Beyond Fear, Tropic Thunder, Jack Black, Jeff Portnoy, Bam Maerga, MTV, Jackass, Typo O Negative, Big Vin Records, Vinnie Paul, Pantera, Damage Plan, Hellyeah.

El podcast se puede descargar en formato que prefiere desde aquí:

O escucha online aquí:

July 2009

1. Major Lazer – Guns Don’t Kill People…Lazers Do [Explicit] [Downtown 2009]
2. Chali 2na – Fish Outta Water [Decon 2009]
3. Slaid Cleaves – Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away [Music Road 2009]
4. Zee Avi – Zee Avi[Brushfire Records 2009]
5. Lady Saw – Extra Raw: The First Lady of Dancehall [VP Records 2009]
6. Aswad – City Lock [Rhythm Riders 2009]
7. Rhett Miller – Rhett Miller [Shout! Factory 2009]
8. Mishka – Above The Bones [J.K. Livin Records 2009]
9. Bob Dylan – Together Through Life [Columbia 2009]
10. Micachu – Jewellery [Rough Trade 2009]
11. Scientist – International Heroes Dub [Tameki Wambesi Dove 2009]
12. Mojo Morgan – got Mojo? [Gedion Soldiers 2009]
13. The Lemonheads – Varshons [The End Records 2009]
14. The Aggrolites – IV [Hellcat 2009]
15. The Low Anthem – Oh My God Charlie Darwin [Nonesuch 2009]
16. Various Artists – Riddim Driven: Sweet [VP Records 2009]
17. Dinosaur Jr. – Farm [Jagjaguwar 2009]
18. Ryan Bingham & the Dead Horses – Roadhouse Sun (Amazon MP3 Exclusive Version) [Lost Highway Records 2009]
19. Eminem – Relapse [Explicit] [Aftermath Records 2009]
20. Jason Lytle – Yours Truly, The Commuter [Anti/Epitaph 2009]
21. Todd Snider – The Excitement Plan [Yep Roc Records 2009]
22. Son Volt – American Central Dust [Rounder Records 2009]
23. Mos Def – The Ecstatic [Downtown 2009]
24. Levon Helm – Electric Dirt [Amazon Exclusive] [Vanguard 2009]
25. Tanya Morgan – Brooklynati [Explicit] [Independent Media/iM Culture 2009]
26. Doom – Born Like This. [Explicit] [Lex Records 2009]
27. Laura Izibi – Let The Truth Be Told [Deluxe] [Atlantic 2009]
28. J Dilla – Jay Stay Paid [Explicit] [Nature Sounds 2009]
29. St. Vincent – Actor (Amazon Exclusive) [4AD 2009]
30. Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs – Under The Covers: Vol. 2 [Shout! Factory 2009]
31. Wilco – Wilco [The Album] [Nonesuch 2009]

Diplo and Switch present Major Lazer’s Guns Don’t Kill People…Lazers Do with special guests Santogold, Mr. Lex, Vybz Kartel, T.O.K., Mr Vegas, and many more. The creative DJ/producer duo amalgamates and mashes up tunes sampling from soca, calypso, merengue, and reggae, dropping fat beats, gun blasts, reggae air horns, and choice samples. An example of one of the more interesting and creative cuts is “Baby,” which adds an auto-tune to a crying baby. The killer reggae track on this work is “Can’t Stop Now,” which features Mr. Vegas and Jovi Rockwell. The harmonic Rockwell and Mr. Vegas create an easy-sounding classic reggae track among the hard-pounding dance jams. The track “Hold The Line” samples surf guitars from Dick Dale And His Del-Tones classic “Misirlou,” adding heavy beats and the vocal duo of Mr. Lex and Santogold. Some of my personal favorites on this album include the rough shod “Bruk Out” featuring T.O.K and Ms. Thing; “Cash Flow” featuring the roots reggae flavor of Jah Dan; “Anything Goes” with chaotic verses from Turbulance; and the dancehall sensation Vybz Kartel working “Pon De Floor.”

Chali 2Na’s Fish Outta Water snap, crackles, and pops. A guest appearances by the Marley Brothers, Damian Marley and Stephen Marley, on the cut “Guns Up” piles deep booming funky fresh rhymes over a sweet melodic reggae chorus peppered by a Jr. Gong flow. The King of the Dancehall Beenie Man joins Chali 2Na on the tune “International” for searing dancehall reggae/hip-hop fusion. I found the single “Lock Shit Down” with Talib Kweli appealing and the track “Comin’ Thru” to be a hip-hop jam.

Texas songwriters Slaid Cleaves, Rhett Miller, and Ryan Bingham made the list this month. The Austin-based musician Slaid Cleaves sings heart-wrenching ballads playing Texas country music like it should be played. The song “Cry“ on the album Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away will rip out your heart and have you reaching for the bottle of whiskey. American folk legend Bob Dylan dropped the new album Together Through Life featuring the ominous dark-sounding hit single “Beyond Here Lies Nothin’.

Zee Avi and Mishka add international flavors to the best albums of July, providing fun flip-flop rock and reggae sounds for the summertime. Jack Johnson’s Brushfire Records handpicked Zee Avi for the label where she fits well with the laid back surfer motive. The Malaysian-born ukulele player’s new album is self titled Zee Avi. Reggae-drenched Canadian/Bermudian seafarer Mishka is the new artist appearing on Matthew McConaughey’s record label JK Livin Records. Mishka’s new album Above The Bones provides good summer tunes and positive vibes.

Bring Me The Horizon will be heading to the US for the fifth time and have just announced a full co headline US tour with legendary American Metalcore act EVERY TIME I DIE on the EPITAPH TOUR Sept 8th – Oct 11th 2009.

Check out www.myspace.com/bmth for full tour dates.

Bring Me The Horizon have also announced JONA WEINHOFEN, formerly of BLEEDING THROUGH and I KILLED THE PROM QUEEN as their permanent replacement to departed guitarist Curtis Ward, who left the band in March 2009.

1. SHINee – 줄리엣 (Juliette)
2. Enter Shikari – Zzzonked
3. 2NE1 – FIRE
4. 태군 – 슈퍼스타 (Feat. 낯선)
5. The Blackout – Save Our Selves (The Warning)
6. Big Bang – So Beautiful
7. 3OH!3 – Don’t Trust Me
8. Ellegarden – Salamander
9. Retrospect – เพราะว่ารัก
10. The Hiatus – Ghost in the Rain

There, my top tracks of the last 7 days on LastFm. Some Kpop, Jrock and Post-Hardcore. Which, I guess, completely shows what kind of music I listen to (except for al the other kinds of *core that are hanging around in my iTunes Playlists). I bet that even if you know the majority of the list, you’ll never, and probably never will know them all. If so, please contact me so I can congratulate you for your, maybe even more, diverse music style than mine.

1. SHINee’s a korean boyband, which debuted just a year ago on the SMentertainment label. A label which is responsible for several of the biggest Korean groups up to this day. The youngsters of the band have ages ranging between 16 and 20 and look like some typical schoolboys. That is if they aren’t shooting any of their MV’s which most of the times have some weird clothing style in it. The band’s already famous for their contemporary style, going from ankle-high sneakers to skinny jeans and colorful hoodies.Julliete is their latest song, and some kind of cover from Corbin Blue’s Deal With it. But I daresay I like SHINee’s version more. Or maybe I just don’t mind asian kids looking weird in MV’s.

2. Zzzonked. I can’t even come up with a decent explanation about how the hell they came up with a name like that but I can say I love the song. Enter Shikari’s new CD Common Dreads has taken me by surprise and shows another side of our lovable British electro-dudes. The track Antwerpen and the cover of their CD being a Flemish Lion (Vlaamse Leeuw) makes me wonder if they secretly want to be Belgian.
Years ago I watched them Twice on a day at a local festival and absolutely loved it (Video below. In which I was standing somewhere). Can’t wait to see them live again.

3. 2NE1 is YG Entertainment’s newest all-female group. CL, Bom, Dara and Minzy are four girls who’ve recently joined in on the Korean popbusiness singing their debut FIRE. Before that however, they starred in a CF, called Lollipop, together with label-mates Big Bang and rose to high regions on the most anticipated debuts in Kpop. As I noticed they’ve been number one at a few places and even in illegal downloads, I can honestly say they lived up to it PS: The song got stuck in my head, I can’t help it. (More Info)

4. Taegoon (태군) has risen again. He’s a young Korean guy who debuted just last January with the track Call Me and skyrocketed to the big audience by having Kpop Cutie Kim JaeJoong from TVXQ in his MV. People started bashing him because to them he was just using JJ in order to get famous. Well, did they know Taegoon and JaeJoong were childhood friends? Anyway. Taegoon is back and planning to get some status aroung the Kpop-dom. His new song Superstar was released on his recent Rising Star Mini Album and immediately brought him back into the spotlights. Yeah, I bet Taegoon’s a stayer.

5. And finally, something English again. The Blackout’s another British band which recently signed onto the Epitaph Label. Their new CD The Best in Town is full of typical The Blackout songs. Easy choruses and sing-along verses. I didn’t expect anything more from them. But it’s nice for once just not having to think and screaming along with whatever they’re singing. I like them, I not saying they’re bad or anything, just a little brainless at times

6. And back to Korean it is, although I can’t really remember when my Korean Craze has begun. Big Bang’s another Korean Superband by the YG Entertainment label which brought us 2NE1 a few weeks ago. Big Bang is together with SM’s TVXQ part of the Hallyu. Which is roughly the boom in Korean Artists breaking through in other countries and getting known all over the world. It’s one of those other Brainless thingies which have been going on for a while now. So Beautiful is a song from their Japanese Mini-album called For The World and is in fact completely sung in English.

7. Seventh in the line is 3OH!3. Something Electro-ish mixed with screams and something else. I guess they call it Screamo Crunk or something like that. At first I didn’t really like them but as my local radiostation refuses to put something else on instead of these weirdos, I ended up with it getting stuck in my head. So therefore: here’s 3OH!3’s Don’t Trust Me. It’s old. But still not old enough to be locked away and never to be seen again.

8. Is Salamander! Two years old already, but still one of those songs I keep playing just because it’s soooo good. I might have done and overkill of it though. Ellegarden was (yes was, cause they’re on hiatus, sadly) a Japanese punk rock band who have toured with many bands out of the punk pop and punk rock genre such as Sugarcult, Allister and even Foo Fighters. After 10 years of existence, and a massive fanbase, they decided to go on Hiatus and have returned to the music scene with different bands. (More Info)

9. Ever heard of Retrospect? They’re an awesome Thai Post-Hardcore band who, apparently, are going to Wacken in Germany this summer. I wish I’d been able to get tickets to go and see them but it’s sold out already. Maybe I can get my hopes up for another, smaller festival in my town? Anyway, back to the song. Although i can’t understand anything of it and the language seems a little off, I enjoyed both of their CD’s very much. Pror Wa Ruk/เพราะว่ารัก is easily said, one of the best track they’ve ever done. And Nap’s screams (the singer, obviously) are like one of the best screams I’ve ever heard. World! I’d like you to meet: Retrospect.

10. And last but not least: the HIATUS and Ghost in the Rain. I told you about Ellegarden before, didn’t I? Well, this is the singer’s new project, ironically titled the HIATUS. The music is like a mix of old Ellegarden stuff with some new parts in it (like a piano for instance). I can’t really explain it. You just have to listen to it and comment it yourself

Pop-hardcore favorites Set Your Goals have added a shit-ton of new dates to their upcoming summer tour.  On July 21st, their new record This Will Be The Death Of Us will be released via Epitaph Records.

You can check out the band’s whole tour itinerary below;

Jul-15 Iowa City, IA Picador
Jul-16 Chicago, IL Metro
Jul-17 Detroit, MI Magic Stick
Jul-18 Toronto, ON Reverb
Jul-19 Montreal, QC The Underworld
Jul-20 Portland, ME The Station
Jul-22 Albany, NY Northern Lights
Jul-23 Asbury Park, NJ Stone Pony
Jul-24 New Haven, CT Toad’s Place
Jul-25 Worcester, MA Palladium
Jul-26 Long Island, NY Crazy Donkey
Jul-27 Buffalo, NY Town Ballroom
Jul-28 Cleveland, OH Peabody’s
Jul-29 Pittsburgh, PA Mr. Smalls
Jul-30 Baltimore, MD The Ottobar
Jul-31 Richmond, VA The Canal Club
Aug-01 Columbia, SC New Brookland Tavern
Aug-02 Charlotte, NC Visulite Theatre
Aug-04 Montgomery, AL Off the Wagon
Aug-05 Nashville, TN Rocketown
Aug-06 Atlanta, GA Vinyl
Aug-07 St. Petersburg, FL State Theater
Aug-08 W. Palm Beach, FL Culture Room
Aug-09 Orlando, FL The Social
Aug-11 Metairie, LA The High Ground
Aug-12 Houston, TX Java Jazz
Aug-13 Austin, TX Emo’s
Aug-14 Dallas, TX The Max
Aug-15 Tulsa, OK The Marquee
Aug-16 Albuquerque, NM Launchpad
Aug-17 Phoenix, AZ The Clubhouse
Aug-19 San Diego, CA SOMA
Aug-20 Pomona, CA The Glasshouse
Aug-21 San Francisco, CA Slim’s
Aug-22 Portland, OR Satyricon
Aug-23 Seattle, WA El Corazon
Aug-24 Boise, ID The Venue
Aug-25 St. Lake City, UT Murray Theatre
Aug-26 Denver, CO Cervantes