Hot Water Music – Finding the Rhythms LP (translucent purple + 7”)

This record is so raw! I’ve been listening to so much HWM over the last month or so in anticipation of their tour with The Bouncing Souls and I haven’t found myself getting tired of any of their records at all which I think is really rare. Though this probably isn’t my favourite HWM release it still has some incredibly awesome songs.

Anyway pick this up if you haven’t got it. If you haven’t herd HWM before (which if you’re reading this I don’t believe) I probably wouldn’t start with this. Maybe A Flight and a Crash or No Division.

Also Jason Black is a freak on the bass!

The Berzerker – The Reawakening

I used to listen to this band a little in high school. A mate burned me the first 3 albums which I thought were pretty cool and it was completely different to what I was listening to at the time, Avail and Nirvana at the time. Anyways, I found this album on my computer (I’m guessing my sister downloaded it but I can’t imagine her listening to this) and gave it a listen. The Berzerker play ‘industrial death metal’, which is basically death metal/grind with techno drum beats. Now I don’t know too much about metal so don’t blast me if this description is off, but I think it comes pretty close.

I started off with all intentions of giving this a proper listen, but then I got sidetracked and got distracted. This album didn’t grab me like the other records have. I don’t know why though. Oh, and there are 5 remixes at the end of this that are horrible!

Fifth Hour Hero – Not Revenge…Just a Vicious Crush LP (blue/yellow split w/ white splatter /300)

Ok this is the last FHH release I have. Visually this record is great. The artwork looks good, gatefold sleeve packaging, and the colour of the vinyl looks so freakin’ pretty.

Musically it’s everything you want from a FHH record. It’s catchy as fuck, the instrumental work is awesome, dual male/female vocals are in full effect.

I only got 3 or 4 hours sleep last night so I’m gonna keep this short and if you’ve read the other ‘reviews’ on other FHH records then you know what to expect.

The band is long broken up now (they broke up in 2007) and this is their final record. Geneviéve and Olivier formed another band called Rome Romeo. Find them here.

Fresh Aire – Interludes LP (black)

I got given this in a crate of records at a garage sale for free. This is ambient shit. Kinda relaxing. Kinda boring. Great to fall asleep to. The sleeve is silver foil which is neat and looks pretty cool.

Ps: This isn’t my turntable/set up. Mine’s the homeless equivalent of this. 

The Amity Affliction – Youngbloods

This still isn’t my thing.  

The Amity Affliction – Severed Ties

This ain’t my thing at all. Growly vocals, then some singy vocals, then some breakdowns, repeat. Post hardcore stuff. Whatever. Guitars sound good at times though but all in all I'm mainly ignoring this record. Oh and there is synths. Whoever introduced synths to post hardcore should be taken out the back and shot. There are tons of guest vocals and a cover of Pat Benatar’s ‘Love is a Battlefield’. I know a lot of people who love this band, but I don’t really care. Not my stuff.

Fifth Hour Hero – You Have Hurt My Business and My Reputation Too

 

This is the first FHH release I ever bought. After hearing a few tracks on some No Idea comps that I had I went out and bought this. I’ve listened to this EP so many times and I’m no where bored of it. I have the CD version of this but I think the artwork would look a lot better in 7” form. This is probably my favourite of my FHH records. These 4 songs are simply perfect.

Fifth Hour Hero – Scattered Sentences LP (purplish red)

10 more awesome FHH songs. Great duelling male/female vocals as usual but most of the songs on this records are sung by Geneviève while Olivier only sings 2 of the 10 songs here. Great politically aware lyrics as well. Just buy this band’s records.

Fifth Hour Hero – Collected in Comfort LP (clear orange)

Holy shit! This is awesome. Five kick arse tracks and an untitled acoustic track. I’ve only listened to this record a couple of times since I bought it but I didn’t realise how good it was. I guess that’s the point of this whole thing, to discover and rediscover records in my collection that I’ve ignored for so long.

Each song, except one, has an explanation that accompanies it, giving some insight into what the songs are about. I have mixed feelings about bands providing explanations with their songs. Sometimes it can be a great thing and offer deeper meaning and understanding to the songs. Other times I just wanna figure out what the songs are about for myself. I especially hate when bands push their agenda through these explanations. FHH don’t do this, they put their thoughts and feelings on matters such as violence and consumerism. Anyways this is a good record. Go buy it!

Navel/Fifth Hour Hero – Split 7” (black w/ big hole)

This split 7” is pretty cool. Navel are a melodic punk rock band from Japan who sing about getting ‘dunk on purpose’ and feelings in broken English. I’m definitely into this. I haven’t herd many bands from Japan besides Nim and FC FiVE who are both pretty great.

On the Fifth Hour Hero side of things, these aren’t the best 2 FHH songs I’ve herd but they are still pretty good. This 7” wins me over for the awesome tracks but also for the fact that I love it when bands do splits with bands from different countries (FHH are from Canada). All the lyrics are also translated from English into Japanese as well which I thought was pretty cool.

Ps. excuse the small image it’s all I could find.

This Is My Fist/Fifth Hour Hero – Split 7” (white)

This Is My Fist is a female fronted melodic punk band. They are OK, but the Fifth Hour Hero side kinda blows it away. FHH’s song was just that much catchier and I enjoyed it a bit more.  

Fifth Hour Hero/The Sainte Catherines – Aims Easy As Pointing Your Finger Split 7” (mix colour /812)

I have a massive soft spot for Firth Hour Hero. Their 2 songs are killer. I don’t know why I like them so much, maybe their use of both male and female vocals, their catchy as fuck choruses, I dunno. I have a few FHH splits and albums coming up as well.

I have to admit, I don’t know much about The Sainte Catherines besides a few songs from some Fat Wreck comps. The songs they offer are a lot faster and rougher than FHH’s. They are executed really well.

The packaging for this 7” is pretty sweet as well. It opens up from the back (?) with a lid/flap which is pretty unique and cool. Get your nerd on.

The Fight – Home Is Where The Hate Is EP

Kinda boring punk rock from the UK. I only bought it because it is released through Fat Wreck and cost only a couple of bucks from the bargain pile.

Fight Fair – Settle The Score

This is everything that is wrong with pop punk right now. Avoid at all costs.

Hot Water Music – No Division LP (Purple)

This has to be in my top 5 all time favourite albums of all time. I don’t think this album could ever get boring. I’m so excited to see them when they tour next month with The Bouncing Souls. This album is only made more awesome by guest vocals by Tim Barry from Avail on Hit and Miss. Everything about this record is amazing. If you haven’t got this then buy it now!

Fierce Brosnan – Basement Demo

I downloaded this from Death To False Hope Records. They are an awesome record label and have a whole tone of shit by great bands up for free download.

I’m supposed to be studying right now so I’ll keep this short.

Fierce Brosnan play melodic punk rock. They type that was meant to be played at sweaty house shows with a whole bunch of drunk mates.

Short enough?

Field Day – Demo

This is 6 instrumental tracks of noodly goodness.

You can go here to download this.

These guys are broken up now; well at least that’s what their Myspace says.

Fever Sleeves – Soft Pipes, Play On

OK, here we go my first ‘review’.

I downloaded this one (yeah I know). They have it up for free download on their bandcamp but I downloaded it from here Sound As Language. Sound As Language have some other great releases up for download as well so check that out if you want.

The songs on this album are put together really well and are pretty upbeat. It’s mathy and noodly to the max. There is so much going on in these songs, and I mean that in a positive way. They go from relaxed to chaotic then back again. It gets dancy at times as well. There is a really good flow to the songs. I don’t know much about math rock but I know this is awesome.

If you like Q And Not You check these guys out seeing as they are named after one of their songs.

They have a pretty awesome video for Futuristic Killings. Watch that here.

We're here to FSU.

Alright, here’s the deal. I’m starting this up because I’ve got a severe problem. I have way too much music. It’s getting out of control and it’s at the point where I haven’t even listened to most of it. I just keep buying more records and downloading (yeah I know, but I’ve got free internet at uni). So I’ve started a thing called The Pile. Cause that’s exactly what it is, a pile of CDs and vinyl sitting in my room that haven’t been listened to. So I’ve been going through my collection listening to all the music I’ve got alphabetically for about a year now, give or take, and I’m up to F.

I’ve been posting my progress on Facebook, but that’s not working out for anyone. So now I’ll be posting my progress here with maybe a little review/opinion to go with it. I’ll be going through stuff that I haven’t listened to before and revisiting stuff that I haven’t listened to in ages as well as some old favourites.

I might also do some drunken reviews of shows as well and maybe some other stuff, we’ll see.  I got nothing else better to do besides drink and listen to records.

Tom.