Converge is that band that we want to call our generation’s great hardcore success story. In many ways they are. They are still going strong after 20 years and I still don’t have a band to compare them to, although I can count many who have tried to be like them. 

As unpredictable as when they started, Converge released Axe To Fall on October 20. This is their seventh release and by far one of the most influential records to date. While Converge has never needed help making a record, this one has a lengthy VIP list. Some contributors include: Steve Brodsky and Adam McGrath (Cave In), Uffe Cederlund (Disfear), Steve Von Till (Neurosis) and Mookie Singerman (Genghis Tron). It’s one of the first times we see a lot of individual effort put into one Converge record.

The first song, “Wretched World,” sweats of hostility and ambient absence making us wonder if we downloaded the wrong band. Once you make it to “Slave Driver,” it’s back to business as usual. Jake Bannon’s harsh yet understated vocals make their way into the hearts of those who have been with Converge since high school. There is no question that the record gets better as you get further into it with songs like “Worms Will Feed” and “Reap What You Sow.” The songs follow a familiar message as many of the past records. Converge songs have always been about struggle and overcoming the world that’s beat us down, which is a nice sentiment to continue with Axe To Fall. 

The record as a whole leaves much to be desired, and for those who have listened for years: I don’t think we will ever have another Jane Doe. History does not always repeat itself and I don’t assume Converge will ever move backwards. However, I think Axe To Fall is a listen that takes just that: listening. It’s a struggle to avoid picking out its qualms and breakthrough to the best pieces but when done, it’s a good record. 

Jake Bannon did an interview with Alternative Press magazine in 2005 that sticks out in my mind. He said, “by definition, real hardcore cannot become mainstream. It’s too harsh, too abrasive and too opinionated to be able to fit what is commercially palatable by today’s standards. Hardcore is reactionary.” Although he is right-it still is much too abrasive to fit into any Top 40 chart. It’s not mainstream that has changed; it’s Converge that has driven closer to mainstream. This is evident on Axe To Fall more than another record. It worries me that cheesy metal riffs have made their way onto a Converge record, making it sound like it might be accepted on tour with Mastodon. It’s not a matter of breaking apart but experimentation that might not always go right. However, for Converge there’s always the next one.

Before I went to see Where The Wild Things Are, I listened to the soundtrack on repeat for a few weeks. As a child I obsessed by the book. I turned to Max when I was mad, and now it seems the soundtrack has provided this new sense of liberation. I later compared the movie and its soundtrack. I would say they have a great marriage. The movie, visually appealing on its own, uses the soundtrack to build emotion but leaves you wanting to hear it in its entirety. I think that’s why the soundtrack follows where the movie goes chronologically by the track names-it allows you to understand the storyline.

There are a lot of combinations that went into the project for the Where The Wild Things Are soundtrack. Spike Jonze’s dark and rebellious vision sought out Karen O (front woman for The Yeah Yeah Yeahs) to head the soundtrack. Karen O enlisted the help of Deerhunter’s Bradford Cox, Liars’ Aaron Hemphill and a few others. All major contributors to current indie music, they found themselves a chorus of kids and got to work. 

“All Is Love” is the single, and I would argue one of the most “kid friendly” songs due to the children chanting at the end of the track. However, it is when Karen O comes in on songs like “Capsize” and “Heads Up” that pull this well past the soundtrack for a children’s book. We return to Max and the monsters with “Worried Shoes” and “Rumpus.” “Worried Shoes,” and the appeal of the wide-eyed kid who plays Max, are where our tears and our heartbreak are born. “Rumpus” on the other hand, revives our childhood and has us screaming, “LET THE WILD RUMPUS START!” It truly makes us believe even in our twenties that we’re all Max and the wild is out there somewhere, even if we feel far matured. Karen O and the Kids rebel, using this record as a way to fight for Max, his monsters, and all our troubles. The sporadic use of the movie dialogue is what keeps this a soundtrack, but I must say that it could live as its own record. It holds enough emotional exclusion from the movie that it ignites our feelings past the story of Max and back to us. 

No matter what your stance is on the book, the movie, the t-shirts, the dolls, etc., there is much-needed appreciation for the movie score that compliments a film adaption so well. Spike Jonze made it clear what he wanted out of Where The Wild Things Are, and found the right people to put the pieces together. It’s a soundtrack that doesn’t need the movie to support it. It incites enough emotion all on its own, that when paired with the movie, adds to the level of sincerity. There is bitterness and alienation felt in this soundtrack. It’s a trip we take to make the wounds hurt so they can heal in the end. The issues we have, alike or not to Max’s, spread through our own experiences. There is a lot to say for a soundtrack based on a kids’ book from 1963 that can do that to us.

As the record leaked, I feared its sudden promotion and pressure from the label would foreshadow a bad record. Front man Jesse Lacey’s interviews hinted that the record wouldn’t surpass the previous record, The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me. The new record, entitled Daisy, is Brand New’s second release on Interscope Records, and follows similar rhythms of that last record but soars to a level this band has never before reached.

The first song provides sudden disappointment. “Vices” is a hard-hitting amateur track with the screaming vocals of Jess Lacey, making us wonder how he stepped back so far. Luckily, “Bed,” the next track saves the record, as does the intimacy of songs like “Gasoline.”

The album’s single, “At The Bottom,” is perhaps the strangest song on the record. It doesn’t go back to the bad screaming or the pain felt in the first song, but sounds more like Modest Mouse. The connection came to me later. Without the Smiths or Morrissey there would be no Brand New. Johnny Marr, former guitarist for the Smiths, joined Modest Mouse in 2006, and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Lacey’s vocals on this record are strikingly like Issac Brock’s (singer of Modest Mouse). His creative obsession has not been so obvious as a kick back to the Smiths and Morrissey since the second record, Deja Entendu.

What I find most admirable about this release is the raw material that made its way from track to track without major label interference. I don’t know that this record had Lacey craving the limelight, or if the label was pushing this record’s release after almost three years since the last. What I do think is that Daisy, much like The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me, is an open invitation to adulthood. Brand New was always a band to grow up beside record after record. Listeners cried at 17-year-old heartbreak as he did on Your Favorite Weapon and uncovered sexuality as he did in Deja Entendu. In turn, Brand New’s fanbase entered adulthood with The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me and certainly can’t let them go now. 

The closing track tempts me into believing that it’s Lacey’s way of wanting out. I don’t believe the last few years of leaked unfinished songs and stadium shows have done well for his countenance in the band, but I do think Daisy indicates that this is as real as it will ever be.

Although this record might appear broken upon first listen, I bet when it’s over, you will want to listen again. Daisy dropped on September 22 on Interscope Records.

I realize I have not updated in forever but check out the new I Refuse review and interview!

Speaks Fork-Tongued is the latest release from band I Refuse from just over the border in Ottawa, Ontario. This new five-track collection takes bold steps towards a breakthrough record. Although the band speaks strongly of influences dating back to Nirvana and Snapcase, I don’t find that the record makes the connection to either. Speaks Fork-Tongued takes us on a five-song journey that portrays a message that feels like a hardcore band but is sincerely just good old rock and roll. Although this record has a distinctly clean sound, it reeks of radio singles in the best possible way. The best song on the record is the last, and is incidentally the title track. Upon listening, there is a spark of Sonic Youth in a very Daydream Nation fashion which subsides before the song gets off its feet. All in all, Speaks Fork-Tongued is a charismatic release but requires a certain listener.

I spoke with Dominic Maggiolo, one of I Refuse’s guitarists about the record after the band’s video shoot.

Ashley Saupp: What was the recording process like?

Dominic Maggiolo: We recorded in Ottawa with our friend Frank in his home studio. It took about a month to finish all five songs and we would go into the studio 2-3 times a week recording each instrument separately. The idea was that we wanted a very clean sound and we all brought different ideas into the studio.

AS: A major turning point with Canadian bands has been this resurgence in retro punk of the 1980s. Bands like F****d Up, Career Suicide, and even your hometown friends in Vicious Cycle; do you think your band is trying to do the same with 1990s grunge rock?

DM: Those bands are great and I think there is much to appreciate with what they are doing. I think we are taking the best part of 90s and moving forward. We are just trying to make way.

AS: Coming from Ottawa, you guys have toured both your home country and the United States. What are some of the differences?

DM: The major difference is how cheap the states are in comparison to home. It makes touring a lot more affordable. Another thing is the difference in scenes. At home we appeal to an older crowd and on tour in the states the ages vary. I also noticed a lot of positivity in the States.

AS: What are you listening to right now?

DM: Lately, it’s been the new Pissed Jeans record. I also listen to a lot of old stuff when I am working out like, Bad Religion and older AFI circa Shut Your Mouth.

AS: Any last words?

DM: Yeah, eat locally! Or wait, Stay Gourmet!

Check out I refuse at http://www.myspace.com/irefusehc. Speaks Fork-Tongued was officially released on August 24th on Finish What You Started records. You can pick up the CD at www.fwysrecords.com. Be on the lookout for the vinyl and iTunes release coming soon.

   I will be the first to admit that I didn’t rush to listen to the new Deerhunter record, Microcastle. Little did I know their third record would be the best they have brought to the table. The Atlanta band-fresh off a tour with extremely popular Nine Inch Nails-Deerhunter has made a mark for themselves not only in the larger music market, but proven their ability to tour on a large scale. Deerhunter, who may be a better counterpart for an ambient tour, are not copycats of Radiohead nor a replacement for them, but are similar in transitions and dynamics. Depending on one’s opinion of their former work, one might think the band lacks in vocals, but the sacrifice for transgressing instrumental periods are a nice release from what indie rock has offered lately. The mood of the record is ever-changing, but brings together a generational understanding for what this band has to offer the world.

“Agoraphobia” is a song that gave me the impression they were going for the sound that Maritime achieved a few years ago with their release We the Vehicles. This being the first song to have solidified vocals and the second song on the album, the vocals are taken by the guitarist, Lockett Pundt. One of the best tracks on the record is “Little Kids” in which Bradford Cox and Pundt collaborate to create a song worth calling a “blast from the past.” The 1960’s mindset of psych-rock joining with modern day indie rock have given this record a timeless feel with something to write home about.

The record also includes a bonus disc entitled Weird Era Cont. It isn’t a repeat or a play-off of what is in the gut of the actual record, but an addition that stimulates everything offered in the full length.

The great thing about this record is that there is a sense of direction all the while; the transgression of songs shifts from soft ambient melodies to harsh pop rock segments that seem more like a deliberation than a distraction. This is a record that has not only set itself apart from their previous releases, but has successfully blown away the expectations of 2008. This is easily a release two months shy of the New Year to stick out above the rest. Microcastle is a sense of inspiration for a time that we need all the free thought we can get. The album was released on October 28.

      The selling point for overpriced high school yearbooks is to remember how the years gifted us. This includes anything from the awkward phase to the bare essentials that identified how we would construct ourselves for four years. That is exactly what the movie Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist was like. It was a reflection of identifying the self in one another, a premature look back into who we once were. The dilemma isn’t surrounded by the choice of music in said playlist, but by the hardships Nick (Michael Cera) experiences after making numerous playlists to win back the affection of his ex-girlfriend Tris (Alexis Dziena). One of Tris’s classmates Norah (Kat Dennings) finds the mixtapes and forms a crush on Nick without any formal introduction. The story turns into a hunt for Nick and his band mates to find a secret show in one of the boroughs, while Norah tags along and loses her friend, who spends the entire movie voluntarily drunk.In the beginning there is a scene referencing a sketched notebook outlining bands like The National, Vampire Weekend and We Are Scientists. While that is a reflection of the soundtrack, the idea comes off tacky and looks like the beginning of a bad kids’ movie. The typography follows last years hit, Juno, which also included Michael Cera, although Juno might garner better praise. Michael Cera proved himself in the hit Superbad last year as well, but seems to produce the same character in Juno and then once again in Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist. It shows that Cera is one-dimensional, and although it’s appealing now, it doesn’t necessarily mean he will make it too much longer. Than again, neither did most of the Brat Pack in the 1980s.There is an instance in the movie, particularly a car scene between Nick and Norah, that seems premature and forced. It entails the idea of being Straight Edge, which for whatever reason was thrown into the movie as a jab at today’s music culture and the influence of making the commitment to not drink on said culture. I found it unappealing and stereotypical because it didn’t have a place in the movie. The characters are immature, and the humor leaves much to be desired. There isn’t a fire in Dennings other than her pre-teen Alanis attitude that seems to be the only thing carrying her role through the movie. There isn’t much accordance between the score of the movie and what the movie entails. 

      Nick and Norah is the dummy’s guide for how to be a hipster in the middle of a teenage crisis, whether it is the playlist approach to break ups, skipping curfew or embracing of underage drinking. The movie gives the unrealistic depiction of how the average kid embraces the Manhattan culture and the stop made in Brooklyn.While the movie is eventful and has a knack for the mind of a high school student, it doesn’t measure up to its title and certainly doesn’t have enough consistency to be the next generations Dazed and Confused. It might be a movie to catch on college night, but don’t go running to theater to see this one.

      Some of us worry that the evolution of music is sinking, and we are starting to circle the bowl. The important idea that music grows as we evolve is not only important but also valid to keeping music honest. TV on the Radio doesn’t just have a knack for reinvention-they take progressive steps to make each record better. Dear Science, the new release from TV On the Radio, dropped September 23rd, 2008. It is the second release after signing to major label Interscope for the last record, Return to Cookie Mountain, a hit in 2006. Tunde Adebimpe, the group’s main vocalist, made great efforts to change this record and separate it from the last release. The sound of his voice was evident in TV on the Radio’s last release, and although the new record has a different concept he kept the soulful sound that people would have been disappointed without.The first song, “Halfway Home,” builds and layers on the vocals and moves into a New Wave dance beat although it has a dreary beginning. The irony in the lyrical writing and the instrumentation is brilliant rather than off-putting. The lyrics expand on death and morbidity while the dance beat and horns build from track to track. It is a brilliant and upbeat record, all the while maintaining a concept and sticking to it. It goes in a forward direction and succeeds until the last second.Another song worth recognition is “Golden Age,” a song that gives hope and a sense of enlightenment as the most positive song on the album. The record does bash President Bush, which is not a new concept in the last two terms of his presidency, but it initially was somewhat of a concern for me. When I read that it held a political element prior to its release I knew it could go one of two ways. It could remain vague enough that the point gets across or so loud that takes away from direction of the record; luckily the band exercised the former.This record is like a tour around the world; you get a little bit of everything. The explicit lyrics of “DLZ” might leave a sour taste in your mouth when you’re done listening.At first, this record struck me as a record to throw on after MGMT’s recent release, Oracular Spectacular, but after giving it another listen I realized there are many complexities to this record, and not just for the sake of being complicated, but by creating something worth unfolding. TV on the Radio is a band with consistency and has yet to fail us. There is a great amount of depth in Dear Science, and the collection of instruments paraded on this record can keep the attention of anyone. This is not only a record worth listening to, but worth buying as well. Come on; who says afro-beat and art rock can’t collide?

        Acid Tongue is the second go-round of Jenny Lewis’s solo career, breaking away from her band Rilo Kiley for round two. Her last release, Rabbit Fur Coat, took a few hits due to her lack of lyrical content and bland musical arrangements. Rabbit Fur Coat didn’t have enough substance to keep its place in my iTunes library. This time around, she kept the country but added a hint of rock and pop hoping to strike gold. Talk of Acid Tongue, her new record, buzzed around last winter, and the actual recording took place in about three weeks. Her mindset was to record most of it live, which she seemed to do with great success on this release. Her voice fits the tracks but it’s repetitive, and it seems like she bit off more than she could chew.It’s a mix of alternative country and pop in a rotation from song to song. Her intention seemed to add a bit more pop with the country, but I am not so sure she succeeded at either angle with this record. The third track “The Next Messiah” might be one of the best tracks and not because of Lewis’ performance, but to the credit of Jonathan Rice, who helped write the piece. It is a track that was recorded live which originally came from three songs before combining it into one nine-minute song.The overall songwriting doesn’t seem at the right maturity level for a 30-something accomplished musician. She struggled with this problem on the last record and it has definitely carried over onto Acid Tongue. Its immaturity leaves something to be desired instead of fulfilling any emotion that she probably intended.This record comes off rushed and with a sense of disorganization in not only her writing but leaves listeners questioning, “So where was she going with this?” I find grace in her simplicity but despise the underproduction. It seems as if those who assisted her on the record are what keep the album together. The teamwork of Zooey Deschanel is surprisingly appreciated since Deschanel’s own record was something to be forgotten.One thing to Lewis’ credit is “Carpetbaggers”, a song featuring Elvis Costello that might actually be the selling point for her record. Much like Rabbit Fur Coat, Acid Tongue hasn’t stayed above water, but maybe her third time around will bring her success. Jenny Lewis might need to throw in the towel on the solo gig because it may not be her calling, but then again, neither was her childhood Jell-O commercial.
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      The English folk belief that “third time is a charm” an origination from 19^th century law might just apply to this English band. That saying might just apply to the band Bloc Party. Bloc Party put forth one loud announcement and little promotion to push their third record, which might just be the lucky one they have been praying for. On August 18, 2008 they began pre-orders for the new record entitled Intimacy, with the first single “Mercury” already playing in the United Kingdom. The record’s release was not anticipated to occur until 2009. They unexpectedly rushed the release, and it just might be the victory that Vice Records needed to maintain Bloc Party’s status. Intimacy is a clever mix of sound modification and guitar with simple drum parts that bring them back to the praise of their first record, Silent Alarm. The single, “Mercury,” is a repetitive number that starts out with voice manipulation and moves into instrumentation with clever lyrics-a single that is definitely worthy of radio play. The record maintains its energy through “Trojan Horse,” which is bound to be a single. They also released the song “Talons,” which is not on the digital release but will be on the physical one in October. One song that sends the energy in a separate direction is “Signs,” which reminds some Bloc Party fans of their sophomore effort, A Weekend in the City. City didn’t receive the kind of feedback needed for a follow up to a great debut in Silent Alarm. Although Bloc Party took a fall with A Weekend in the City, the band has gotten right back up with Intimacy, and have transformed the sound they wanted in the last record with the instrumentation they had in Silent Alarm. Intimacy is a great successor to A Weekend in the City, and has the potential to be among the best records of this year. Although Bloc Party has some compensating to do from the grease fire that was their previous album, they seem to have extinguished any doubts nicely with Intimacy. Fans of Les Savy Fav and The Flaming Lips should check out Intimacy.

     A few weeks ago, Bloc Party played their first live college show in America. They headlined Syracuse University’s “Juice Jam,” an outdoor festival that emulated Lollapalooza on a smaller scale, with explosively energetic opener Talib Kweli. Although I had seen Bloc Party once before, Talib Kweli’s performance raised the bar for the band. Their opening was welcoming and they made their way through some classics from Silent Alarm, while promoting the new record with great enthusiasm and neglecting their failed second album. The band had everyone dancing even in the rain. They generously returned for a four-song encore wearing improvised togas and chanting “Toga! Toga! Toga!” and initiated conversations with the crowd during which they asked for not only a place to stay, but also a place to party. There is no doubt that those newly exposed to Bloc Party’s sound immediately fell for their high energy show and spread the word to their friends.

      I went into The Spill Canvas show last Friday at SUNY Canton with the mind set that their live show would be similar to their recordings. I got something a little different. At first glance, my attention was brought their impeccable necktie to vest ratio-a poor man’s Panic at the Disco. Appearances aside, they opened with the song “Polygraph Right Now!,” a song from their 2005 release, One Fell Swoop. The opening provided enough energy that the poor acoustics of an ice rink could be forgiven. They maintained the same amount of energy throughout the set with jokes. “If you don’t like us, you can beat us up after,” singer Nick Thomas delivered before counting into the next song. The crowd, while excited, was faithful to the band singing along to each song from each record verse by verse. There were points in the show that the crowd had a voice louder than Thomas, who gladly welcomed the intrusion. hey played five out of 11 songs from their last release, entitled, No really, I’m fine, with one song from the newest EP this year that Nick later told me was an extension of the LP. Although, there were songs like “The Tide” off their record, Sunsets And Car Crashes, which was the only song they played from that record. That seemed to disappoint fans that continued to chant, “All Hail The Heartbreaker,” a popular song off of Sunsets.One phenomenal thing about these guys is not only their ability to keep a crowd’s attention, but that they can play an hour long set without fail. Before playing their last song, “All Over You,” Thomas gave a small speech about the importance of their fans and performing. He said, “We are in this for the music. There is no such thing as a rock star.” He made himself welcoming by proving himself to be just like everyone else. After the show, the band members were good sports when giving out hugs, autographs and photo ops to each and every person waiting.

     After the show I made my way backstage to get some face time with Thomas, which felt a little bit more like a reunion than an introduction since we had met before. He is a nice and soft-spoken guy with a real knack for speaking. I opened by asking him about how the show went, and he responded by saying, “Our fans are great. It was a blast; I had a great time.” He seemed sincere and appreciative to have the praise of his fans from record to record. I moved forward to ask him about his stance on voting and the upcoming election to which he responded, “The thing with youth voting is that [in] the last election with George W., people didn’t respond to the candidates as well as they do now. It is a great thing to have the youth votes. Now that I am more politically conscious, I am voting. I am personally an Obama man myself. Make your opinion matter; it is a huge responsibility that we vote. Get out there and do it, it’s not that hard. I have my absentee ballet ready to go!”He then went on to describe the last election as a “South Park” episode, cracking political jokes and bringing light to the serious stuff. We concluded with a brief discussion about what The Spill Canvas has planned for the rest of 2008. He responded, “Yeah we have big plans actually! Starting this fall we will start a tour with One Republic, Augustana and The Hush Sound. That is such a big bill and it starts right before Halloween around the 23rd [of October]. Then we will go home for the holidays, and I will continue writing for Spill and a solo project I am working on.”

   The Spill Canvas is a band with great energy and a front man who represents them well. What they might have lacked live, they made up for with their South Dakota hospitality. Fans of Jack’s Mannequin and The Starting Line should definitely check out The Spill Canvas this fall!