I Breathe the Underground

International Superheroes of Pop-Punk: Kicking, Screaming, and Not Without a Fight

 You should have listened to your friends.

They'll never go away. A band that walks the thin line between legend and...well, Blink 182-esque infamy...recently found a home with one of the most respected and most versatile (as of late) labels in the underground music industry. Granted, Epitaph Records is also now walking a fine line, with the addition of radio favorites like New Found Glory and Thursday...Offspring re-releases...the continued success of Motion City Soundtrack: but these are just feathers in the cap of Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz, founder and owner of Epitaph Records.

Why has New Found Glory continued to play such a significant role in the punk scene? I have no logical explanation for you; rather, I propose a postulate. Whether it deals with the band's subtle hardcore roots, the teenage emotion NFG embodies, or the sheer catchiness of the music, punk rock kids have always loved New Found Glory. Not all are willing to admit it, but they do. Oh yes, they do.

It's hard to dislike NFG when they respond so well to things that freak other bands out...like, say, the leak of their first release on a brand new label a month before it's supposed to drop. Chad Gilbert remarks below:

"You are driven to get [Not Without a Fight] because you like NFG so how can I be bummed at that!"

Great form, Chad. I wish more bands had the same outlook.

While half the world is looking for news on the reformation of Blink 182, I'm pushing my blog's ratings aside and focusing on a band I find to be much, much more important. In response to the reuniting of Blink 182: Who gives a shit? If I feel any nostalgia for Blink 182, I'll sit at the kid's table next Thanksgiving where I can hear all the toilet humor I can stomach.

As you might have guessed, the unreleased CD fairy has visited my doorstep once again, and I have had a chance to preview NFG's coming release, Not Without A Fight. It isn't much of a departure from previous NFG offerings, which I think is a good thing. Let's be honest; New Found Glory is a pop-punk band, and their uniqueness stems from their collaborative sound...not from musical ability or diversity. Members of NFG smartly quench such desires to do something different with the International Superheroes of Hardcore, a simultaneously serious and hilarious hardcore side project that consists of all five NFG members.

So what can we infer from Not Without A Fight? For one, New Found Glory isn't disappearing anytime soon. No, NFG will continue to make music in the face of critics, many of whom have silenced their negativity. I could review this album for you, but it would be entirely unnecessary. With NFG, what you see is what you get. Maybe that's why the punk kids love NFG so much: they are simply a constant within a quickly changing musical landscape. Even as they grow older, their music still encapsulates a youth untainted by the immaturity pop-punk tends to proliferate nowadays.

Sorry, no preview tracks available. Don't want to get in any legal trouble. Instead, enjoy some old school NFG tunes.

Download New Found Glory - It Never Snows in Florida

Download New Found Glory - Head On Collision

"Being drowned...That's more than I can say for everyone else."
- New Found Glory, "Black and Blue"

P.S. The new NFG album was produced by Mark Hoppus of Blink 182. Irony, anyone?

SPECIAL: Warped 2K8 - I Laughed, I Cried, I Moshed

You walk into the pounding sun and take it all in, the jagged rocks littering the hot concrete and the wall of sound hitting you from every side. Each tune that caresses or bombards your ears is unique. It's a land out of storybook lore; it's a legendary collection of all the most influential punk/pop-punk/hardcore bands of the last ten years; it's that time of year, time for the Vans Warped Tour, and it makes me feel like I'm in high school all over again.

This year's Warped Tour lineup was disappointing at first glance. The Chicago lineup boasted only a few bands with experience and industry cred; punk legends like Pennywise, Agent Orange, the Bouncing Souls, Fear, GBH, and the Germs were on other legs of the tour. Faced with a dismal reality, I was considering not attending this year for fear the tour had turned a big commercialized corner.

I decided to go anyway and cut ties for good if I'd been dragged into a big waste of time.

Boy, was I surprised.

I didn't get to the all-day festival until around 2 PM (being Saturday morning and all, I had to watch my cartoons). The schedule worked perfectly for the bands I wanted to see; unfortunately, a couple of notables that had been listed on the website were missing from the gigantic board: Protest the Hero and Forever the Sickest Kids.

The following is an attempt to recreate my day at the 2008 Vans Warped Tour.

**************

2:30 PM: Entered the gates. Proceeded directly to the beer line and ordered a drink. Received massive bucket of beer. Wandered to the big schedule board and planned the afternoon.

2:45 PM: Found the Hurley Stage, where Chicago suburban locals Dr. Manhattan were rocking the early afternoon heat. The guitarist was definitely wearing a pair of over-sized tighty-whities on top of his shorts. Listened to a couple of recognizable songs from their Victory Records debut.
Overall: 3 out of 5 stars.

3:00 PM: Made our way to one of the main stages, where Norma Jean had just begun a sonic onslaught of the still energetic throngs of eager hardcore kids. (Two bands later, the hardcore kids were skulking about, drenched in sweat and calling their parents for a ride home. (Just kidding.)). Norma Jean dominated the crowd for half an hour, delivering their own quirky brand of hardcore goodness with the momentum of their coming release, Anti Mother. I am no longer a Norma Jean virgin, and I'm happy to say that it was a pleasant experience for both of us.
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars.

3:30 PM: On our way to the Smartpunk Stage to check out Four Year Strong, a familiar ditty hit my eardrums hard. We proceeded to the closest stage, where Protest the Hero was half-way through rocking album-quality renditions from their most recent offering, Fortress, and informing the crowd of the recent beheading in Canada. For all the musical talent on the tiny stage, the energy just wasn't there on that scorching Saturday afternoon. Maybe it was due to the shock of playing on such a small stage or the fact that the sun's rays had a direct avenue to the band.
Either way, a disappointing: 3 out of 5 stars.

3:45 PM: We arrived at the Smartpunk Stage, where a riot had apparently broken out. Happy hardcore newcomers Four Year Strong were melting faces everywhere, causing an uproar in the crowd. Between the unparalleled energy the band was exuding on stage, the melodic vocals that were surprisingly flawless, and the ridiculous movement of the crowd, hardcore dancing and moshing their little faces off, the experience was simply incredible.
For that, they get: 5 out of 5 stars.

4:00 PM: Stood in line for another beer. Walked back to the Smartpunk Stage and watched a little bit of Evergreen Terrace on the stage next door. I was unimpressed, but I was only half paying attention, so I won't give them an official star rating.

4:30 PM: Set Your Goals took the Smartpunk Stage. The band did not disappoint. Although their partners in happy hardcore had taken the crowd to another level, SYG competed like champions, stirring the crowd to an even boil and bursting the bubbles at all the right places. A whirlwind of speed, melody, and positive thinking, SYG earned their keep.
Overall, 4 out of 5 stars.

5:00 PM: We had planned on checking out From First to Last, but ever since they lost Sonny, I've kinda lost interest. Walked by the main stage briefly and confirmed my suspicions. Checked out the tents and saw Norma Jean signing autographs. Got another beer.

6:00 PM: The sun was still shining and the beer was flowing and Gym Class Heroes, the quirkiest pick for Warped Tour (honest, they run in music circles that are far outside of their style), had just taken one of the main stages. Patrick Stump's pre-recorded vocals blasted forth beneath the unique lyrical stylings of GCH's Travis McCoy. They made me want to dance on a day dedicated to moshing. GCH don't disappoint, even after seeing them five times.
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars.

6:30 PM: There's something comforting about Reel Big Fish's refusal to quit amidst speculation that ska truly is dead. They're probably the reason I even started listening to underground music -- and it was all because they "sold out." I'm of course referring to the band's hit radio single, "Sell Out," because RBF is a band that has done anything but sell out. They've always played the same music, and they've always done it with a strict refusal to change. Between their hilarious, almost scripted, banter, they blasted out ska anthem after ska anthem, leaving this punk with a gracious smile on his face. Oh, they also inspired me to get another beer.
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars.

7:00 PM: I had the unfortunate and distinct pleasure of visiting the other main stage for the Angels and Airwaves set. Tom DeLonge's post-Blink attempt at creating something beautiful has fallen horribly, horribly flat amidst the hyped fanfare. There's just something depressing about a 32 year old man shouting "Poo poo!" and "Pee pee!" to an audience of recycled Blink 182 fans, most of whom are pushing 30 themselves, in between some of the most contrived and pretentious songs I've ever heard. Shame on you, Tom DeLonge. Take up a hobby that doesn't require human contact, like crocheting.
Overall: 1 and a half out of 5 stars.

7:40 PM: It was finally time for the band I'd been waiting all day to see, the band that has sprouted from the ashes of the pop-punk of olden days, the one, the only, Say Anything. We approached the main stage with the last of our energy and got ready to rock. But as soon as Max Bemis walked briskly out on stage on his own, I knew something was wrong. His scratchy voice explained that he was sick and unable to perform. I was about ready to pack up and head out disappointed, but he informed the crowd that other Warped Tour performing artists would be singing in his stead.

Each song of the set was sung by a different vocalist. It was pretty cool to see, although I would have rather had Max himself. Still, the concept was cool, and what really blew me away was how these singers knew the lyrics without referring to a lyric sheet. It was like watching legends pay tribute to the new bad boy in town.
The show still rocked, so: 4 and a half out of 5 stars.

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Just a last point before I end. Although Warped Tour has managed to block out most of the bands that were instrumental in forming it in the first place, they still make the shows, the bands, and the experience as accessible to the fans as it used to be (even if a sign at the Angels and Airwaves tent warned "DO NOT ask if the band is signing autographs today. They aren't and we don't know why.").

Bands I missed that I wanted to see: Cobra Starship, Forever the Sickest Kids, All That Remains, Street Dogs, The Academy Is..., Katy Perry (just kidding about that one, even though she was actually somehow on the tour, probably kissing every girl she saw). Oh, and we also saw MC Chris, aka MC Peepants from Aqua Teen Hunger Force. It was weird.

Summer rock. Word.

DISCLAIMER: This is the day how I remember it. Performance times are only as close to accurate as my memory is. Which is not very.

"Wake up, wake up, wake up / This is not a test."
- Underoath, "In Regards to Myself"

Who the Hell Are These Guys?

While browsing my usual punk-related online outlets, I came across a post about a band whose generic name sounded familiar, but didn't particularly peak my interest. With the sheer volume of new music out there, it can be hard to find time to even give a listen to a band if you haven't seen them popping up in other places. But I was feeling adventurous, so I followed the link to the band's myspace page.

When I finally turned off the new Misery Signals songs I'd been listening to concurrently, I was pleasantly surprised by what I heard. The driving melody of Brooklyn's Young Hearts conveys an honest urgency of pop-punk charm that's reminiscent of early Alkaline Trio and takes me back to the days of pop-punk for the sake of pop-punk a la Sidecar (Cleveland) and Chicago locals Tuesday, Mike, and 504 Plan.

The market for pop-punk has been saturated these days by the Fall Out Boys and Good Charlottes of the world; had the genre followed its mid-to-late nineties path into the mainstream, the radio would be in much better shape. The polished and dumbed-down sound of a lot of contemporary radio punk doesn't leave much room for the honest, driving, emotive frustrations of the true hopeless romantic youth. I guess that's why the name 'Young Hearts' is so fitting; it's as honest as the music itself.

Truly, this is what Blink 182 and Green Day were trying to do before they hit the big time. Maybe they should have quit while they were still young. Instead, they redefined a genre that was fine the way it was.

I don't know much about this band, but I do know what I like. Check out Young Hearts. Re-energize yourself with the shy, honest excitement of young love. Word.

"If I told you I was thinking of moving east / would you save a place for me?"
- Get Up Kids, "Newfound Mass"

Single-Handedly and Modestly Saving a Subculture: An Essay OR Bro-core Can't Come Back if It Was Never Gone in the First Place

As I sashayed tiredly through the aisles of a mega-store that I'll refrain from naming here, my eyes glazed patronizingly while glancing the new releases rack. Not only had I not pulled through on my promise to pick up Alkaline Trio's Goddamnit Redux, I couldn't find the f-ing thing anywhere (I won't give in and buy it online because I'm stubborn like that). I had shimmied on over to the new release aisle and, feeling in a rather punk mood, stifled a yawn over the meager selection of buy-worthy albums.

Then, it occurred to me the new Pennywise album had hit the shelves today. Just three discs left in the rack. Had it sold an obscene amount of copies on the first day? As far as I could tell, I was in a neighborhood infested with mascara-donning mall-rat 'emos.' It was far more likely the store had a limited stock of the product. Plus, they're giving away the damn thing for free.

And a thought occurred to me. Maybe it was the lack of choices on the shelf. Maybe the music industry stood viciously over my shoulder, whispering sweet money-grubbing nothings in my egg-shell ear. Maybe it was complete self-assurance. At that moment, I had to buy the new Pennywise album, whether I could get it free or not. I wanted to make a statement to the industry, and then I wanted to brag about it in my blog.

Why not buy Pennywise's new album? If you have ten bucks to drop, you can tell Pennywise yourself that you'll still be buying their music in thirty years when they're touring in adult diapers. I mean, download the new Panic at the Disco album. Most of that money is going to the bigwigs, anyway. But buy that Pennywise album!

So I left the store, immediately tore open the plastic wrap, slid that baby into my six-disc changer and cruised out of the parking lot in my red 2000 Chevy Suburban with that shit on full-blast.

Then, I got back to my house and read a blog post by August Brown of the Los Angeles Times ranting about Pennywise trumping contemporary mainstream punk's (I use the word 'punk' loosely here) wayward attitude. Eloquently put (after all, August does write for the LA Times, not a music blog that barely anyone reads), August takes pot-shots at this generation of tweens, the sickening tribe of youngins that think punk rock is a Fall Out Boy song with a fast beat.

August, you aren't entirely off the mark here. But your credibility was shot after you blogged about Emmylou Harris (and called her 'timeless'). Sure, you referenced Conor Oberst as a Harris fan, but I wouldn't ever name-drop someone so musically schizophrenic and hit-or-miss and expect your point to hit home.

Still, some of the comments on the blog are pretty harsh. And, seriously, who makes it a point to call someone out for using the word 'core' the wrong way? If you want to argue over the word 'core,' get off your three thousand dollar computer, glue your mohawk up and go to a damn anarchist rally, if they still have those. Seriously commenter dude, pick your battles.

At the same time, you're making a difficult case when you group H20, Hot Water Music, Face to Face, Goldfinger, Bouncing Souls, 7 Seconds and Dillinger Escape Plan in the same article. Think about your target demographic here, August.

And please, never compare Paramore to Dismemberment Plan. That's like comparing Bozo the Clown and Picasso. That's an exaggeration, by the way.

August, I don't want to stoop to the level of your 'adoring' public, so I'll point out some positives. The article is loaded with witty commentary (e.g. your reference to Hot Water Music's vocalist as "a singer who sounds like a pirate," regardless of the fact that "singer" should be plural when referencing HWM). Kudos on comparing Pete Wentz to Poison's C.C. Deville (readers: Wikipedia him). And, overall, I enjoyed the overarching theory that mall-emos are moving away from the new celebrity personas of pop-punks elite.

But that's simply not true, August. People still watched Travis Barker's reality television show, even if it did suck.

Bands like Pennywise aren't reemerging. They've always been on top. They've always been the definition of the scene. They've always been the second-generation punk powerhouse that they are today. I'd like to propose a different theory, that, as these Blink 182 kids grow older, Pennywise starts to make sense in the entropy of a violent, broken scene. Maybe one day, we can only hope the FOB/MCR kids will be in the same boat as the Blink 182ers.

The only time the kids could ever really get Pennywise was when Pennywise themselves were only children. That day is long gone.

I grew up with the second generation punkers. They'll chew you up and spit you out if you don't know the right places to draw the lines. You may want to revisit Emmylou Harris in your next blog and leave punk rock to the professionals.

“It's like a bunch of hard-core kids who decided they were going to write pop music.”
- Pete "C.C. Deville" Wentz