I Breathe the Underground

2009: Highlights from the Year in Music - A Brand New Homage

When most people look back on 2009, they remember a broken economy, the social media explosion, a president with too much to fix, the rise of DIY EVERYTHING, a music industry with an unpredictable future, an ex-president striking it big for foreign relations, a slew of celebrity deaths including the late, great Michael Jackson -- but most importantly, another stellar year for music.

Yes, it's been a roller coaster ride, with one of the biggest lowlights for the punk scene manifesting itself in the departure of Pennywise frontman Jim Lindberg. To close out '09, IBreathetheUnderground has compiled some of the year's more notable albums.

 Unequivocally 2009's most ballsy release, Brand New's eagerly anticipated Daisy held true to the group's constantly evolving musical dynamic. Since the group's inception, there really hasn't been a follow-up record that borrows much stylistically from its predecessor. But through the years, you can still hear Brand New's talent shining through on each album, and Daisy is no exception.

What first struck me about this disorganized, noisy collection of lovable, emotional tracks is its grunge appeal. A heavy Nirvana influence throughout is a constant reminder of the band's lingering presence in a rock industry that seems to be straying from pop sensibilities and moving towards originality. Granted, a Nirvana homage doesn't exactly appear to be an original undertaking -- but the music-writing talent of Jesse Lacey helped make this album definitively Brand New, even if is a little under the influence, Cobain-style. 

Tracks like "Bed" and "Gasoline" offer perfect contrasts and showcase some grunge influence, while "At the Bottom" and "Daisy" rummage through Brand New's leftovers to combine their distinct aura with a new, more experimental sound.

A lot of scenesters worship these guys, and while I'm not ready to offer myself to the Brand New deities, I can say with confidence that Brand New keeps the scene fresh. Plus, they're doing much to expand the musical minds of pop-punkers everywhere. Seems these kids fell for Your Favorite Weapon hook, line and sinker and have kept their loyalties afloat as Brand New marches its way into a new era of rock and roll.

"Laid her on the bed."

- Brand New, "Bed"

Sing Anything

The Beemdawg is back with a vengeance, and he's come equipped with Say Anything's new self-titled album, a charming, addictive and definitive pop-punk roller coaster ride that kicks some serious ass and takes a multitude of names.

Say Anything is quickly becoming a mainstay in popular music and a fresh, uncompromised follow-up to Fall Out Boy's mainstream pop-punk success. There is just something so unique, emotional and relatable about Max Bemis' vocal onslaught that it's hard not to sing along.

As the follow-up to the 2007 double-disc In Defense of the Genre, Say Anything does much to redefine the band's direction. While IDOTG is an extraordinary effort, 2004's ...Is a Real Boy does more in the way of establishing the groundwork for what Say Anything is and isn't. IDOTG was a well-received example of pop-punk experimentation, but it took so many twists and turns that it seemed the band had lost control of its own musical machinery. The self-titled brings Say Anything back to earth again, offering 13 knockout tracks that meld together into an amalgam of anxiety, ecstasy and sarcasm.

Lyrically, SA blows much of today's pop music scene out of the water. Bemis is relatable simply because he's honest; he's narcissistic and he knows it. But he's interesting, and that's why we want to hear more. His lyrical voice is definitive of a generation, chock-full of hilarious pop-culture references and reflective philosophy.

I haven't been able to stop spinning this album since it's release two weeks ago. Aside from a song or two that were obviously crafted as radio singles, SA is the kind of album I've come to expect from Say Anything--one you can put on your iTunes playlist and play on repeat without skipping any tracks. Fueled by a fiery pop-punk energy, SA is easily my top album of 2009.

Awesomely enough, Say Anything is streaming the entire thing at their MySpace page. Check that shit out. Personal favorites: "Less Cute," "Mara and Me," "She Won't Follow You."

Btw, nice family pic boys.

"He's like a less cute version of you / but he'll have to do."

- Say Anything, "Less Cute"

Swellers Set to Explode

For real reals, the Swellers are about to hit it big.

After a recent stint on the Four Year Strong/Set Your Goals "Gig Life" tour, the Swellers got some well-deserved recognition from pop-punk hot shots Paramore, who invited the pop-core quartet on the road with them and Paper Route for their fall tour. The hits just keep on coming for the Flint, Michigan punkers; only a month and a half ago, the band announced they'd been signed by Fueled by Ramen and will be dropping a brand-spanking-new album, Ups and Downsizing, on Sept. 29.

Now, they've released the first song from the new album on their MySpace, and I've gotta say it lives up to my expectations and then some. 

"Fire Away" is laden with pop-hooks, briefly abandoning the band's need-for-speed for a well-rounded, tight, anthematic feel that still captures the sound that has propelled the Swellers to where they are today. I'm hoping the entire album metaphorically reflects the well-roundedness of "Fire Away," where, in true pop-punk fashion, we'll be able to hear a spattering of fast punk beats, heavier driving drums...and maybe even an interlude slow-down here and there.

After the "Gig Life" show at a certain Chicago venue I'll leave nameless (*ahem* -- you know who you are, and so do my readers), I had a chance to catch up with Swellers frontman Nick Diener, who shared my enthusiasm about the band's recent success following some major setbacks. Looks like the Swellers are going to be around for awhile, so you might as well jump on the roller coaster now. There's no where to go but up.

"Abandon ship. Fend for yourself. You’ve got that sinking feeling and nothing else."

- The Swellers, "Fire Away"

Breathing Life Back into a Dead Language

Okay. So I've been in a two month blogging coma. But give me a break, my laptop is totally f-ed.

I thought it'd be fitting to erupt from this interlude with guns blazing, so I'd like to introduce you to a brand new punk act that I've only known for a short time myself, a group that's as tight as they are melodic. The band: Latin for Truth. 

Who the hell are these guys, anyway? Somehow, it took Latin for Truth three EPs, a collection of demos and a full-length before they popped up on my radar -- a signal that I don't mind bragging is quite attuned to the burgeoning pop-core scene. Apparently, the band has encountered a few setbacks over the last year or so and has decided a redefinition is in order.

LFT mixes tight, quick drum tracks reminiscent of Anchors for Arms, melodic vocals a la No Use for a Name, MXPX- and Gatsby's American Dream-like chord progressions, and an urgency that is all their own. This is a band that would make Lifetime proud.

Even better: LFT's new (rebirth) EP, We Are Sick of Not Having the Courage to Be Absolute Nobodies (name taken from a Salinger essay), is available for free digital download here. A full-length, already titled Youth Crew Blues, is due out in 2010.

I'm going to be looking for good things from these guys in the future. Check 'em out.

Download 88 says

"Now, you Irish cops are perking up. That's two sound theories in one day, neither of which deal with abnormally sized men. Kind of makes me feel like Riverdancing."

- Paul Smecker, Boondock Saints

Interview with Chase Brenneman of Living with Lions

If you haven't heard Living with Lions by now, you're not fit to call yourself punk rock. It's most likely because the Canadian four-piece has only just begun to make a splash in the US music scene.

Living with Lions mixes quick, driving punk beats with an urgent, emotional youthfulness to create a sound that is as intense as it is deep. As part of a new generation of emerging groups blending elements of post-hardcore, pop-punk and rock, Living with Lions already has the American underground abuzz.

I Breathe the Underground recently emailed Living with Lions guitarist Chase Brenneman some interview questions. A man of few words (over email), Chase helps us walk away with at least one conclusion about him and his band: Living with Lions sure know how to party.

What occurred the night of “the most epic of parties”: the final hurrah of Dude Manor?

Our roommate Dana fell through the ceiling on our singer Matt's face. Soon after, people started running through the walls. Someone lit the roof on fire.

Having recently signed with Adeline Records, does Living with Lions have a schedule/plans for a next full length? Any new songs written?

We're just starting to write more stuff now. Everyone is really looking forward to doing our second full length. We didn't really know what we were getting into the first time around, so we're going to spend a lot of time preparing for this one. Hopefully we'll have an album's worth of stuff written by November/December.

If you had to live with a lion, what would you name it and why?

I don't know what I'd call the lion. The only thing I know is the only lion I'd live with would be high all day, everyday. I don't smoke weed...but I like people that do.

As one of the many innovative, high-energy bands coming out of Canada, how do you guys plan on making your mark in the US?

By writing good music and touring lots. We're not really looking to do anything important, we just want to live on the road and have as much fun as we can.

Living with Lions’ music is composed of a brilliant mix of explosive punk rock and emotionally-charged hooks and lyrics. When you guys sit down to write, how do you get motivated?

We never have to motivate ourselves to write, we just write when we feel like it. I think that's a pretty important part of making songs that we're happy with. Doing it at our own pace whenever we're feeling it.

What bands do you consider direct influences on Living with Lions’ sound?

A lot of punk bands from the 90's are hugely influential on us. Anybody from Face to Face to Hot Water Music to Good Riddance to Jawbreaker...we're mostly in love with all the music we grew up on.

Who acts as a sharpie “canvas” most often on the Living with Lions tour bus?

We only get to sharpie people in our old beat up van...we can pretend it's a bus though for the sake of this question.

Our bus driver doesn't let us bring sharpies on the bus anymore. Matt got carried away last time and drew all over the 80" flat screen in the hut tub room. As far as a regular canvas goes...it would probably be Donald Trump. Whenever we let him come visit us on the road for a few days. I don't think he'll be coming out anymore though. Landon colored all over his penis while he was passed out in the king size bunk. He threatened to sue, but we have pictures. We'll just blackmail.

She's a Hack

"Won't you tell me what's on your mind? / Safe and sound, and so secure / Cast iron cold, invincible / As the weakest link with the locks exposed."
- Living with Lions, "She's a Hack"