After seven years of patience and diligence, Circle Takes The Square has actually set a November 2011 release date for their follow up to 2004’s As the Roots Undo.The new album will be titled Decompositions: Volume I and has been an overly ambitious project for the band, consisting of several years writing and recording and in some circles drawing comparisons to Guns and Rose’s Chinese Democracy.
Each of the new album’s songs has been described as being its own unique passage with a story arc and overarching plot line. Which helps explain for the work’s long gestation period but to finally give listeners a flavor of what is to come, the band will be releasing Rites of Initiation as a digital EP . Rites of Initiation will be available on August 23rd through Circle Takes the Square’sBandcamp.
The band will also be playing their first live show in three years withreunited PG 99 and Thou and following that with a performance at The Fest 10.
Have you recently spent some time in Tampa, Gainesville or Chicago? Did your time in these cities include attending punk shows and visiting dive bars? Well unbeknownst you probably have spent some quality time with Dan Sapp. Dan Sapp is that rowdy guy at shows yelling the lyrics right back to the band or the guy hanging off your shoulder at bars. In short, Dan Sapp is a man who likes good bands and knows how to party. It was Dan Sapp who told me to check out Iron Chic. Dan Sapp told me about an upcoming show they were playing and you know what I did? I fucked up and didn’t see them.
This all started a few months ago when our buddies in You Blew It! got together with our audio crew from The FEST 9 to do a recording project. The result of which is Terry v. Tori on the Topshelf Records 2011 Label Sampler. We ended up wanting to do a video for it and it snowballed into getting some NU alumn and some new friends together to shoot a video during Koerber’s birthday party at The Buffalo (the You Blew It! house). It actually came out pretty rad. See for yourself.
My relationship with Mose Giganticus has been pretty varied over time. For about a year and a half, I considered myself a member of the band; another time, I left tour, rented a car and drove myself home after the first show. Regardless, I probably owe almost everything I know about how to be in a professional band while still staying true to DIY ethics to Matt Garfield and my experience with Mose. There is not one person in the DIY community that works harder and grinds it out moreso that Matt Mose. Whether it is touring to Alaska and back, stealing veg oil at 4 in the morning, or just playing show after show after show after show, Matt Garfield and Mose Giganticus is as honest and as real as music gets.
The Copyrights’ fifth studio album, North Sentinel Island, opens up with the band’s most straightforward, hardhitting, rock and roll riff in years, and best of all, they’re completely unapologetic for it. The opening track quickly segues into a blend of crunchy guitar riffs layered on top of melodic vocal hooks. Before “Trustees Of Modern Chemistry” finishes, you can rest assured that the band hasn’t lost any of their steam in their three-year absence since 2008’s Learn The Hard Way came out.
The independent music company, Black Numbers, has recently released a Grey Area/Go Rydell split that, while not packed, holds some really good tunes. It’s an excellent jumping on point for hardcore punk fans who may have overlooked either band or a great addition for those that are already well on their way to building their Grey Area or Go Rydell collection.
2012 will be the year of You Blew It!. Since the release of their 2009 demo, these Orlando twinkle punks have been putting in their respected time to build upwards as well as outwards. After a new guitar player and a couple of bass players, a new direction and sound started to emerge. While still falling somewhere in the shadows of bands like American Football and Braid, the group went into the studio with Fake Problems‘ Derek Perry to record their 2010 EPThe Past In Present. Although still having some troubles in the bass department, YBI have still managed to go out on the road for three east coast tours. Now with a promising lineup and some time to let the dust settle, they are currently working on a debut full length titled Grow Up, Dude. Falling into a looser and more dynamic sound, these four guys are working together like never before to write what I’m sure is to become a defining album. Keep an eye out for them as their tour regime is not about to slow down once this record drops. You might even see the day when Tanner Jones can grow a beard.
Check out “Terry V. Tori” on this years Top Shelf Records compilation here
Brooklyn based Candy Hearts have announced that they have joined local label Kind Of Like Records‘ ever growing roster. The band is set to release their sophomore album and KOL debut Everything’s Amazing And Nobody’s Happy on September 27th.
With thousand of miles separating Dan Andriano from his other Alkaline Trio members, he has had plenty of time to master his solo craft. Creating the new moniker and slowly releasing demo’s since 2009, Hurricane Season has been a long time coming. A labor of love from his relatively new surroundings in St. Augustine FL. This record is full of what makes Alkaline Trio great with more of an Elvis Costello vibe. While being based around Dan and an acoustic guitar,Hurricane Season has a tasteful palette of electric guitars, organs, piano, drums, and the occasional bass. In a very personal departure from his norm of the Trio, Andriano paints the picture of a traveling man searching for something he might not be heading towards. Finding little comfort in hotel rooms and late night phone calls, he searches for a cure. Whether that be a partner to share his fear with or a good nights sleep. Dan’s song writing abilities shine through his blackened insides and make for a great batch of songs.
In anticipation of the August release of The Fire, The Steel, The Tread EP, Hot Water Music has posted a stream of the title track of the two song EP. The EP will be released on Rise Records, and marks the band’s first new material from the band in over seven years. The Gainesville based band is set to release their Rise debut and follow up to 2004’s The New What Next in the spring of 2012.
After seven years of patience and diligence, Circle Takes The Square has actually set a November 2011 release date for their follow up to 2004’s As the Roots Undo. The new album will be titled Decompositions: Volume I and has been an overly ambitious project for the band, consisting of several years writing and recording and in some circles drawing comparisons to Guns and Rose’s Chinese Democracy.
National Underground 