The Real McKenzies
The Real McKenzies Off The Leash [3.5/5]
As many Irish punk acts as there are these days, who can blame the Real McKenzies in carving a niche for their Northern brethren? While “Scottish punk” doesn’t roll off the tongue like Flogging Molly, this Vancouver septet’s doing their best to change that. The kilt-clad, bagpipe-sporting McKenzies...
LaGrecia
LaGrecia On Parallels [3.5/5]
Anyone who’s followed the career of Jason Shevchuk probably didn’t see this coming: The gravel-voiced lead singer who staked his claim on melodic hardcore in the late ’90s with genre legends Kid Dynamite, quit music then returned with the more-punk, less-hardcore None More Black. Now he’s back (barely, since the band...
Tombs post preview track, new tour dates
Brooklyn’s Tombs have posted the first preview track from their forthcoming Relapse Records debut Winter Hours. "Gossamer" can be heard now via the band’s MySpace page. Winter Hours is set for a February 17 North American and February 23 international release. See current tour dates below:
11/8 Syracuse, NY Spark Art Gallery (w/ The...
Hit The Lights - Skip School, Start Fights
Hit The Lights Skip School, Start Fights After the departure of singer Colin Ross last year, it was unclear what direction the Lima, Ohio, group Hit The Lights would veer. Would they elect to reprise the nasal pop-punk on their 2006 debut This Is A Stick Up… Don’t Make It A Murder or jerk the...
Allison
Allison Memorama [3.5/5]
These days, pop-punk bands are seven cents a dozen (notice the adjustment for these recessionary times). Yet on Memorama, Mexico City aggregates Allison make the genre seem positively ebullient. The vocal harmonies are ridiculously tight (“83-87”), drummer Diego propels the proceedings like a hummingbird juiced on energy drinks (“Algo Que Decir”), and...