So there is a new band in Lancaster. It is made up people who were involved with We Were Skeletons and Placeholder. Their name is Spill. They haven't played a show yet, their first one is on the beginning of April in Lancaster. The band doesn't really sound like the associated acts, Spill (at least from what I can tell by this first song) is an almost lo-fi rock band. Crunchy riffs, singing / sing alongs, simple melodies, that kind of stuff. I don't know if I would listen to this band all the time, but, they are worth checking out. I have a feeling they will end up being a big deal in some way or another. Blue collar 24 year old dad rock. Check it out.
Hey everybody. So remember when I was like "I'm gonna get my life together and be an adult!"? Well, that shit did not happen. So now I've given up on that shit and I'm back at my parents house until something falls into my lap. Fuck it.
Anyways, I thought that I should get back into the swing of things and start Chugging again. And since I've already started drinking I'm going to put no effort into my first post in a hot minute by simply posting two albums that you probably have. If you don't have them, then you have heard them. Basically people who are into these bands already have this shit, but for those who don't, for whatever reason, here you go. I'll be putting effort into posts soon enough, but right now its a lil HEY YALL I WAS FOR REAL kind of thing.
The We Were Skeletons album, "Blame and Aging" is a post-punk departure from their previous screamo LP, and a natural progression from their four way split on Square of Opposition Records. Shit is cool, and I love the dudes so yeah, get into it if you haven't yet. Its chill.
The Painos / Touche Amore split sounds exactly like you would expect a split between these two bands to sound, honestly. There are kids who are SUPER into these bands so I'm not really expecting to turn anyone on to these bands, but I like Mike and stuff so when I was thinking about easy albums on my car ride to get coffee like twenty minutes ago I figured this would be up there. Buy it from Topshelf if you want to spend money on it.
So yeah, your favorite uncle is back. Cool, right?
So uh, We Were Skeletons (who are on tour with the Caution Children right meow) are on two new releases. The first is a 4 way split with Florence & Libby, Kids and Paxton which is a ten year anniversary thing for Square of Opposition. The second is a Topshelf Records 2011 Label Sampler that has like over 60 bands on it. Its such a fucking big compilation, but thats fine now that we live in the future and you can just download everything.
Now about that split. I only listened to it one time through, right now, so don't really take too much stock in what i have to say about it. I haven't ever listened to Florence & Libby, but I'm not really digging it too much. I don't really like the vocals that much. I have also never listened to this band Kids, but I like their songs on this release. Short punk songs are always pretty cool. Nothing too new or mind blowing, but its pretty cool. Both the We Were Skeletons Songs are pretty dope. They sound alot different from their previous material, but thats always an interesting thing. Its not on the same scale, but its like when Kidcrash and Raein switched their sound up and some people were like "this is sick" and other people were like "merp merp I only like the old stuff". Its cool though because I was totally the second person for a minute. But these Skeletons songs aren't drastically different. Still punk music, but they are straying away from the screamo sound of their full length and the split they did with us and going more in a post punk direction. Its funny because every other band on this release has like 5 songs but WWS has two. All their songs have Moleman in the title. He's a cool kid. The last band on this is Paxton, and I think I have listened to them before. Its pretty cool, more post punk stuff. Again, not really my cup of tea but its a nice listen. You should get that pre order by the way and support all these bands.
So the second thing on here is that Top Shelf super sampler. There are 68 bands on here, but only 23 are actually on the label. I guess that means that the label has worked with them, because they are "family". That means the remaining 45 bands on this thing are their friends. There are some big names on this release, but from what I can tell nothing "new". I'm not going to list all the bands and stuff but you can check out the list here. Now, one thing about this release that you should know, besides the fact that it is really dope, is that you can get it for free from Topshelf. You just go to their website or any of their social networking sites and "like" the release. I think. You either like the release or the label. I know if you tweet and twit you can get it for free too. This is a pretty cool way to get an album because, you know, its free, but I think its kind of funny that you have to tweet and like something to get it. If they want me to take this down so they get more tweets and likes I will gladly take this down. Go buy stuff from Topshelf because they are pretty cool dudes and put out some cool stuff. The album is so fucking big I put it into three files. MASTER OF THE INTERNET SOLVES ALL PROBLEMS.
Below are the two albums in three files. Pre order the one, and then go like the other. Support all the labels the best you can. Its summer and everyone is touring and shit and I know it can be a pain in the ass to get money together to pay for shows and buy records when you have a tight budget, but its going to a good cause. Even if you can't give anyone money you should still go to some shows this summer because it kind of sucks playing to an empty room. I haven't posted any videos in a while it feels, so here is a completely unrelated video that I have been bumping to death.
Alright, so if you are one of the more dedicated fans that both of these bands have acquired, you would already have this album by now. Its been leaked for quite some time. I know if the record is out yet, because I haven't checked the Topshelf web store in a minute, but I can that you can at least get the pre-order (snag it up while you can, FIRST PRESSING BRO).
We Were Skeletons are from Lancaster, PA. There are three people in that band. They have two songs on this release. "No Funeral" is way punk, super bass heavy. Sing along included as well. "Medication" is also more punk than skrimzork. The band's sound seems to be changing, moving away from the melodic hardcore of their full length (which is the fucking jam) and possibly going back to their punk roots? The new shit sounds more like "Summers" than the LP. STILL THE SHIT THOUGH. If you love the WWS boys you should jump on their TUMBLER and get the tracks by Matt (drums) and Justin's (Guitar) side project/claim to fame: ROCK AND ROLL TRUCK. There was talk of putting up either Raf (bass) and Justin's previous band's demo or EP or whatever (Hopalong Cassidy), as well as some of Justin's solo work.
The Saddest Landscape are from Boston and New York, right? Does one of them live in Jersey? I don't know. There are four people in that band. They have one song on this release, called "Shifting My Clarity". This shit is pretty fucking boss. Really intense and hard hitting. The instrumentation is pretty really impressive. Halfway through shit gets all spacey and post rock, bro, right before its all epic and shit. Then, the end, is full of Mike York feedback (He did the WWS song too). I'm not a huge gigantic fan of The Saddest Landscape, but, this song is pretty fucking awesome and I listen to it a good bit. Have they posted their summer tour dates yet, like made em public or whatever? If they did, check them out. If they didnt, well, just wait because its pretty cool.
BUY THIS RECORD AND THEN SELL IT LATER FOR ALOT MORE MONEY. wuuuuuuuuuuurD.
Yesterday was 4/20, and we hope that all of you had a most excellent holiday. We sure did. Below is the download link to that split, and videos that have nothing to do with the wws/tsl seven inch.
This has already leaked here and there, but I figured it would be cool to do a post about this split myself. I don't know if the pre-orders have been sent out yet, but the release show was on March 26th in Baltimore. Aside from the two bands on the split, The Blue Letter, Dawn Treader, Pyramids, and Pansori played. All of the bands were awesome. There are some pictures from the show floating around facebook, but I have yet to see any videos. Both bands are three piece screamo groups. We Were Skeletons incorporates hardcore elements that make them sound like Off Minor and stuff like that. They are from Lancaster, Pa.I feel weird tlaking about мища's music because I play in that band, but we play violent and grindy screamo music. For the most part мища is from Baltimore, MD.
I don't know which side is the A side and which is the B, but lets just call the WWS side the A side. Their first song, "Wolves", is short and aggressive. The second song, "The Ghost of Jean Glam", is fucking heavy as shit. How many of these guitar tracks are just feedback? These songs are their best work yet (I haven't listened to the songs from the Saddest Landscape split, although I hear its floating around somewhere. I'm sure those are amazing as well).
Our side (мища's) stars with the song "A Mid Winter Night's Dream". We had a video of this song from the day we wrote it and I'm pretty sure it was "Girls Don't Buy Weed They Just Smoke It". Title didn't stick. Anyways, this song was the one that Dawn Treader jumped in on at the end. Its heavy. The second song is "...At Least We Got Capri Suns". Fun fact: The title is a reference to our short stay in Sierra Blanca's immigration holding cells. This song is straight rockabilly.
Mike York from Pianos Become the Teeth recorded all of the songs, and he also mastered ours. I don't know if he mastered We Were Skeleton's. Ben Sears did the art for the split, he has a pretty boss tumblr or whatever with pictures he drew. You can snag the 7-inch from Top Shelf or Black With Sap. If you do, you can help both labels be able to put out more releases. Womp Womp. I had to use megaupload because my internet hates me again. Sorry.
So a while back Ticklebutt Records/Soft City Records put out a tape compilation that featured a slew of Pennsylvania bands. My roommate just gave me the mp3s, and seeing as I haven't found them on the internet I figured I might as well throw em up here. I don't know if you can still actually buy the tape, but I'm sure there are copies floating around if you look hard enough. Below is the track list and the download link.
1. No Toy - Ape Up! 2. Smiles are Contagious - Best Friends 3. Soft Pretzels - Peter & Craig 4. I Left My Tattoos At Home - Boys & Sex 5. Hilarious Combinations of People - 1994! 6. Swallowing Cities - Cassilis 7. Well, I Did Spend A Year In College - We Were Skeletons 8. Sickpits - Miami Dolphins 9. Wonder Why - Bandname 10. Super Tape Worm Level 1 Area 2 - The Joints Chiefs of Math 11. Apartment Buildings - Hightide Hotel 12. You Bring Something ... No - Snowing 13. Chobra Son - Boyfriends 14. Priests with Laser Eyes - Towers 15. Black Clouds - Algernon Cadwallader 16. Indiana Pete - Kite Party 17. When You're in Town - Dangerous Ponies 18. Options - Hop Along, Queen Ansleis 19. Be Free Monster - Craig Woods 20. The Old Cherry Tree - Mike Bell 21. Deep Dark Start - Dragonzord 22. Hallmark - Matt = Tank 23. Pirates - Airports 24. Party Song - Why-No 25. Thomas The Puppy Dog - Peter The Pianoeater 26. Tow of Flax - Those Galloping Hordes
Seeing as the cd release show for We Were Skeletons' full length is tomorrow, I figured now would be a good time to post this album. I've seen it up on some blogs here and there, but I know they were asked to put it down by either the band or Top Shelf Records.
I was given the unmastered version of the album about a year ago by the band and I haven't gone a week without listening to it the whole way through. When I received the mastered songs a while ago I got back into the habit of listening daily. Honestly, this is going to be one of those records that set the mold for a shit load of screamo bands sometime in the future. I don't want to go on and on about how great this is because I have a limited amount of time until my neighbor realizes I'm stealing his internet, but I will say that We Were Skeletons' Self Titled full length is "La Fine Non E La Fine" status. I'm talking about on par with records like "Il N'y A Pas D'Orchestre" and "Jokes".
If you don't know who they are, WWS is a screamo band from Lancaster that sounds like a mix of the european skramz bands and some of the later American screamo bands around the mid 2000's. I would definitely recommend this record to anyone who likes La Quiete, Off Minor, Kidcrash, Ampere or City of Caterpillar.
Tomorrow evening there is a release show for this record in Lancaster PA at Senorita Burrita with Boys & Sex, Merchant Ships, Snowing, my band and Our Parents Forgot Us. You should come check it out and buy some shit.
Our great friends from Lancaster, PA We Were Skeletons have been signed by Topshelf Records (Pianos Become the Teeth, Defeater, My Heart to Joy)! It feels completely fucking insane to be able to say that we have known these guys for two years. We definitely don't get to see enough of them but every time they come around and play or hang out it feels like it was still just last week we were playing shows and hanging out for the first time, and we had barely graduated high school. It's a great testament to their personal drive and talent, and being able to witness the growth from the first time I fell in love with them after hearing Summers up to hearing the full length makes me feel truly lucky. We are so proud of you dudes!!!
We Were Skeletons has been posted on Chug Life, check that out here.
Their first full length LP will be available for pre-order sometime in May, so look out ofr it.
Check out their Myspace for summer tour dates and links for merch.
мища is 2 parts Vikings! and 1 part Drug Money. I play drums in this band, and we have been around for about a year. At first it was just James and I, but then Alex joined the band after like 3 shows or something. We did a New England tour this summer and got to play with some really great bands like Pathos, C'est La Guerre, The Sharpest, and We Were Skeletons. Our name was supposed to mean "bear", but when it was written to was written incorrectly. So when you write our name it dosn't mean anything, but if you say it (its pronounced Mischa) it does mean "bear". Before we went on hiatus we played our last show at David Krasner's house with Pianos Become the Teeth, Age Sixteen, Wren Lloyd, and Pansori. We also got the chance to play with Matsuri and Moldar(RIP) on their summer tour. That shit was bomb. We are trying to play a show or two when I go home in December, and we are getting ready to book another tour for this summer. We were going to go to Europe but its starting to look like we won't have enough money. If you have a house or can get shows, wherever, and you wouldn't mind us stopping by you should talk to us on our myspace. Before I left we recorded two songs for a 7" split with Bears!, which is going to be put out on Bear Records next year. You can buy all of our stuff from Unity Through Harmony, and you can get our mini disc from Noise Park Activities, who we still owe like twenty five dollars. Heres a video from a while back in Hampton's Garage.
We Were Skeletons are our really good friends from Lancaster PA. Both of our bands have played a billion shows with these dudes. Not only are they really fucking good at playing their instruments, they are more than likely they coolest dudes you will ever meet. We first met these guys at a show in Washington D.C with 1994! and then later asked them to play a show we booked for L'antietam. Their first release entitled "Summers" is pretty darn punk, with a cover of Iron & Wine . They just recently released their sophomore effort(This one has a Fugazi cover), the "Ryan Oatman EP", which has a harder feel to it. More noodles in the guitar work, heavier buildups, and the tape version, which I was lucky enough to make for them, has a track from their upcoming full length. I was sworn to not leak it onto the internet, but let me just say that we here at Chug Life have the unmastered tracks for the full length, and it is without a doubt one of the best screamo albums I have ever heard. Their new songs, which the trio play at their shows along with the Ryan songs, are a mix of Capsule and Kidcrash, with some Off Minor thrown in.
We Were Skeletons have always been a band that we have been meaning to post, but we were told to wait until after Ryan Oatman dropped to put them up. This post would have been made sooner, but, we are pretty forgetful and stuff. Its good that we waited though, because I was informed by bassist Raffy Taffy that there is some site where you can download all the tracks from Ryan Oatman and Summers for free. Here's the good part though: Skeletons get "a piece of ad revenue for each download". So instead of putting up the separate links and the pictures, below is a video of them playing "This Destroy Us" from their upcomming full lenth at Charm City Art Space last year during their tour with 1994 and then the link to their download page.
We are committed to bringing punk rock to everyone! however, you must (read: should) delete these files after 24 hours - they are the property of the artists who wrote the songs and are not really ours to give out! Please, if you like the album, support the artists! Don't just pirate, it's selfish!
IF LINKS DON'T WORK PLEASE LET US KNOW IN THE CBOX INSTEAD OF IN A COMMENT. WE WILL NOTICE IT FASTER. THANK YOU.
AUTHORITY FIGURES: Most if not all of the music posted on this blog is either out of print, DIY, or released by an independent label with no ties to major distributors or the RIAA. Just sayin'.
BANDS: If you want us to post your band (can't make any promises) or take a link down just let us know. Please include your band's name and the name of the blog in the subject line so we know it's not spam.
C - bluegrassish@hotmail.com
R - bunkerkidzzz@mail.com
